Eugene School District 4J

Visit the Budget Reductions Summary webpage for a detailed breakdown of the three phases of reductions.

Decisions were informed by multiple inputs, including:

• The district’s budget decision-making framework
• Over 16,000 ThoughtExchange responses and ratings
• Principal and director surveys and advisory input
• Staff and student listening sessions
• Targeted staff surveys (e.g. middle school schedule options)
• Ongoing meetings with employee associations

No, not at this time. School closures require extensive community engagement and long-range planning, which is not feasible this year. Any future consideration would involve a representative facilities planning process.

Furlough days would provide only short-term, one-time savings and would not solve the district’s ongoing budget challenges.

In addition:

• Furlough days must be negotiated with labor unions and cannot be implemented unilaterally by the district.
• The only furlough days that would yield meaningful savings are instructional days, which would further reduce already limited instructional time for students.
• Reducing instructional days would undermine academic goals and directly impact student learning.

For these reasons, the district is focusing on solutions that align ongoing expenses with ongoing revenues and support long-term financial stability rather than temporary fixes.

No. The phased reductions apply only to the general fund. Positions funded through federal or state grants are not included in Phases 2 or 3.

No. Phase 3 reductions are in addition to Phase 2 reductions.

Phase 2 reductions

• Up to 55 licensed FTE and 72 classified FTE
• Primarily programmatic or district-level
• Represent about 60% of the total reductions (approximately $18 million)

Phase 3 reductions

• Up to 95 licensed FTE and 15 classified FTE
• School-based reductions
• Represent about 33% of the total reductions (approximately $9.8 million)

This approach is intended to protect direct student services to the greatest extent possible.

Staffing reductions at the building level are primarily driven by the need to better align staffing with current enrollment. Over the past five years, enrollment has declined while staffing levels have not adjusted at the same rate. During that time, one-time COVID relief funds helped offset costs, but those funds are no longer available. To ensure long-term financial sustainability, the district must now align ongoing staffing expenses with ongoing revenues.

The district received approximately $57 million in one-time COVID relief funds between March 2020 and September 2024. These one-time funds have now been fully spent.

The Reduction in Force (RIF) process takes place between February and May and includes the following steps:

1. The School Board approves the Phase 3 resolution. 
2. FTE staffing allocations are distributed to schools and departments.
3. Buildings/departments submit staffing plans to and are reviewed by Human Resources. 
4. Human Resources identifies employees to be reassigned and laid off according to state requirements and/or contractual obligations.
5. Human Resources coordinates employee notifications of reassignment or layoff.  

At this time, we anticipate that staff could expect to receive notification between April and May. Human Resources will send weekly staff updates as to the progress of the RIF process beginning the week of February 9th. This timeline reflects the complexity and scope of the RIF process.

Human Resources must first complete the required RIF process before specific details can be finalized and shared. The School Board has approved the Phase 2 resolution granting the Superintendent authority to reduce staffing and establish reduction levels. The Phase 3 resolution is expected on February 4. Following the adoption of both resolutions, Human Resources will begin the RIF process encompassing both resolution phases of the proposed reductions.

Assistant superintendent positions were shared earlier because those roles are governed by “carve-out” contracts and are not subject to bumping rights or the standard RIF process, which allowed for earlier clarity.

We appreciate your patience and grace as this complex work proceeds.

Licensed: Probationary status (years 1-3) means the employee does not have the same rights to a position as contract employees. A probationary employee cannot bump a contract employee. However, probationary employees can bump other probationary employees in certain circumstances. Individuals in temporary positions do not have the right to continued employment with the district, as the position has a definitive end date. Therefore, temporary employees are not involved in the bumping process.

Classified: New Employee Probationary Period: Each new bargaining unit semployee shall serve a probationary period of seven (7) work months. The reduction-in-force process does not apply to substitutes, temporary workers, or seasonal workers, and these employees do not qualify for bumping rights.

It is difficult to predict. Recent retirement numbers have varied significantly:

• Last year: 14 retirements total across the district
• Year before: 46
• Year before that: 36

Because of this variability, the district cannot rely on attrition alone to meet reduction targets.

To help close the district’s $30 million budget gap, the district must reduce approximately 25 licensed FTE at the middle school level to better align staffing with enrollment. Over the past two years, middle school teachers have typically taught five of seven periods. Continuing that model with fewer staff would result in class sizes of 35 or more in many cases. Protecting class size to the best of our ability has been a clear priority for both educators and families.

The district considered two main options to address the reduction in licensed staff:

• Teaching six of seven periods, or
• Teaching five of six periods

Teaching six of seven periods would significantly reduce teacher prep time, increase workload, and likely require bargaining with the Eugene Education Association. Teaching five of six periods reduces students' elective flexibility but offers important benefits, including smaller class sizes, fewer daily transitions, and more instructional minutes per class period.

In a recent survey, middle school staff expressed a preference for the five-of-six model. Schools are now exploring adjustments to flex and advisory periods to preserve as much elective access as possible while maintaining sustainable staffing.

It depends on how the program is structured.

• District-wide programs: If a program is created, funded, or managed centrally by the district, it may be reduced or eliminated across all schools.
• School-based programs: In other cases, schools will be given clear budget limits, with some flexibility to decide how best to meet them based on their students’ needs.

This approach means the district sets the overall expectations and budget requirements, while schools have some discretion to make decisions that fit their specific context—as long as they stay within those financial parameters.

No. Phase 3 reductions apply to licensed staff, including teachers, counselors, librarians, and other licensed positions in schools. It also applies to classified staff.

Human Resources and the Eugene Education Association (EEA) are in conversation about the Expo. Information will be shared as soon as it is available.

Outside=92%. Inside=8%. The adopted budget for 2025-26 cuts about $20.8 million in spending from the current year. Of that, $19.2 million (92%) is outside of schools and $1.6 million (8%) is inside schools. The "inside schools" cuts are made up of 12.0 licensed FTE across all elementary schools. The "outside schools" cuts include 13.5 licensed FTE, 4.75 classified FTE and 8.0 MAPS FTE from district offices ($5.125 million), and about $14 million in contracted services, materials, and deferred fund transfers. The adopted budget adds about $4.9 million in new spending on primarily special education services, for net cuts of about $15.9 million.

Measure 98, also referred to as High School Success, is now part of Integrated Guidance, which is a state grant. The district has recieved an updated allocation for 2025-26 that shows a reduction of Integrated Guidance funds of just over $1 Million in the current year. In addition to reductions shows for 2025-26, Integrated Guidance will see reductions for 2026-27 as well. 

As of this year, the district is not making adjustments to staff and will utilize Federal Forest revenue that was recently received to cover the shortage for 2025-26. Reductions will be made for 2026-27 however in addition to reductions in our General Fund.

Integrated Guidance funding from the state is heavily influenced by two main factors, the Corporate Taxes that the State of Oregon recieves as well as our enrollment numbers; both of which have reduced from original projections in early 2025.

For 2025-26, no reductions for school sports were made.

While retirement incentives can be challenging and expensive to craft, and are entirely voluntary, the district will reach out to employee groups to explore the option when planning for 2026-27 begins. There was not an opportunity to create a viable plan for the 2025-26 budget.

While retirement incentives can be challenging and expensive to craft, and are entirely voluntary, the district will reach out to employee groups to explore the option when planning for 2026-27 begins. There was not an opportunity to create a viable plan for the 2025-26 budget.

Members of the Eugene School Board, Budget Committee and 4J staff have consistently made clear that the district’s preference is to fund all programs and staff needed to support students completely: not only to not make cuts, but to add support for early literacy, students with special needs and other critical services. However, the district is limited by the funds it gets from the State of Oregon and the federal government. Eugene voters already have passed a Local Option Levy to give 4J as much extra funding support as allowed by state law. 

The best way for students and other supporters of K-12 education to make a difference is in telling Oregon’s state lawmakers, the Legislature, that Oregon schools need the most robust funding possible. That students still struggle after the pandemic and while extra staffing has helped improve the student and class experience, the loss of pandemic funding threatens those gains. Legislators in Salem who approve K-12 funding levels need to hear the kind of impassioned testimony from students and staff that the Budget Committee and School Board have heard in recent weeks. 

Insurance, Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), workers compensation, unemployment, Social Security, professional development, and 403b retirement account (tax-sheltered annuity).

All cash that the district has on hand is held in the State Government Investment Pool as well as outside investment accounts that are mainly bond-related ranging from 1-5 year investments. The district does hold cash on hand for transactions such as Accounts Payable, Payroll, and other payments that are made on a regular basis within our regular bank accounts. Our interest rates range for the Local Government Investment Pool adjust regularly and have ranged this year from 3.5% up to 4.6%. Our outside investments have a variety of rates depending on what type and how long that investment is. These ranges can be from more short term which can receive ranges of 3-4% up to 5 years which typically receive higher interest rates of 4-5%.

This year (2025-26), the district is spending almost $24 million more than its revenue and is using reserves to balance the budget. Last year (2024-25), the district spent about $30 million more then revenue that came into our General Fund. This use of reserves cannot continue indefinitely. If you reductions are made in the next budget cycle (2026-27), the district would illegally be in a negative balance position. Board policy requires reserves of at least 8 percent of expenditures. Over the next few years 4J must align its spending with its declining enrollment and limited/fixxed revenue.

Since 2021-22 the district increased staffing 37 percent, enabled by one-time federal pandemic relief funds. Those funds are expended and can't be renewed. District enrollment has continued to decline, which means less ongoing money from the state which makes up the bulk of 4J's revenue.  

Birth rates in our region have been slowly declining, entering kindergarten classes have been smaller than exiting senior classes. Also, high housing costs and low availability make it challenging for young families to move into 4J’s boundaries. 

District reserves grew in previous years when federal pandemic relief funds were available, and other district spending was less than projected while other incoming revenue was higher. 

The district listed the Wells Fargo building for sale in June 2024 and it is currently going through a due diligence period from a proposed buyer. The revenue from this sale could be used to offset some expenditures, however the proceeds from this sale are, again, only one-time funds that do not help the district in its long term strategy of start living within our means.

It doesn't. The current Executive Leadership team consists of the following unrepresented positions:

• Superintendent
• Chief of Staff
• Chief Operations Officer
• Director of Administrative Services
• Assistant Superintendent of Instruction & Access
• Assistant Superintendent of Support Services & Well-being
• Assistant Superintendent of Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging
• Director of Financial Services

These positions oversee the district's core functions and the positions have existed in various titles in 4J for more than 25 years. Compared to other districts in Oregon of similar enrollment (within 3,000 students), one has 10 executives, two have nine and one has seven.

In our commitment to try and keep reductions as far away from the classroom as we can, our Superintendent is looking at all areas of the district and engaging every department and program. The first step in these reductions is look “at the top” and starting with the district’s Executive Leadership Team. Phase 1 wil be restructuring the executive leadership team. In the previous year, the District has the following executive position: Superintendent, , Chief of Staff, Chief Operations Officer, and 4 Assistant Superintendents (Admin Services, Instruction & Access, Equity & Inclusion, Student Services). It was announced on December 10, 2025, that the district would consolidate the 4 Assistant Superintendents into a singular Assistant Superintendent role. After Phase 1 is completed, Phase 2 will include a review of all departments and staffing within operations of the district and services/programs that are provided to both employees and students. Phase 2 will be announced on January 8^th to the school board. Finally, Phase 3, will include reductions to direct services to students that will likely include class size adjustments and any closure/consolidation of programs. Phase 3 will be announced on January 21^st to the school board.