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The state Legislature increased school funding by 3.3% for the 2021-23 fiscal years, which meant cash-strapped school districts used the one-time federal relief funding to fill in the gaps.

Bend-La Pine Schools plans to cut 58 staff positions next school year through retirements and resignations due to the end of the relief funds, called Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief. The district is also cutting 17 other positions due to enrollment decline, and anticipates additional cuts of 130 staff positions for the 2025-26 school year, unless additional funding is brought in.

District officials said they are keeping the cuts away from essential programs.

The district had received nearly $30 million total from the U.S. Department of Education since 2020. The emergency relief funds were given to school districts and educational service districts in several batches to be used from 2020 through 2024. Each of them has specific approved uses.

Bend-La Pine Schools is simultaneously moving forward with a local option levy on the May 21 ballot that, if approved by voters, would provide funding to keep up with the rise in inflation, insurance, school employees retirement system costs and other increases.

If the levy passes, the district plans to use the anticipated $21 million a year for maintaining class sizes, student supports, advanced academic classes, elective classes, career and technical education courses and staff recruitment and retention.

“Despite our dedication to providing quality education, the state’s funding falls significantly short of recommended levels. This funding gap jeopardizes essential services and initiatives vital for the success of our students and staff,� Superintendent Steve Cook wrote in his report on the need for the levy.

The levy funding, set at $1 per $1,000 of assessed property value, would be available in November since it would come to the district through property taxes.

The levy would provide funding to avoid at least some of the cuts the district said are needed by the ending of pandemic relief funds.. For example, the levy funding would allocate more than $7 million to hire teachers and keep class sizes at certain levels.

“One thing I might add is that we would also intend to restore these discretionary cuts across the system if the levy were to pass. These funds would be reallocated back out into the system,� Cook said during the meeting.

If it passes, the district plans to track the levy funding to see where the money is spent, said Cook.

If there is also an increase in funding for the 2025-27 fiscal years, cuts may be reduced. However, the district likely won’t know those funding possibilities until after the 2025-26 budget is already approved.

Cook emphasized that budget decisions weren’t made lightly.

“Remember 85% of our dollars are spent on people. It also means we’re now talking about potentially taking positions away in the system that are filled by people and so it gets to be a fairly emotionally challenging conversation to have, but it’s still an important one nonetheless,� Cook said.