On May 17, the Corvallis School District released their proposed budget for the 24/25 school year. These cuts come as the district faces a $10.4 million financial shortfall. While the budget itself presents alarming issues, the lack of faculty, student, and community input during this process is even more alarming. The district has identified that communication was one of the largest issues for faculty and families in the 2022 community surveys. Despite this, the district puts little effort into involving these voices during processes. The only outlet to provide input is emails or speaking at the board/budget meetings, which a few students and almost all the librarians have.

We have been told that this budget was crafted to shield students from the cuts and formulated carefully and with precision. However, the cost of many of these cuts to students and the relative money saved from them, do not reflect this. I will be using a term called cost-benefit analysis which weighs the cost or burden of a plan against the benefits of the plan. Essentially it’s a way to see if something is “worth it”.

My first issue with this budget is the proposed cut to Library Media technicians and the time students will have with them. I would like to illustrate the actuality of these cuts and their effect on elementary students. Adams, Garfield, Letitia Carson, and Bessie Coleman Elementary will have a Librarian for half the time, Lincoln and Kathryn Jones Harrison one third, Mountain View one fourth, and elementary Franklin students less than one fifth. In the budget these positions are called “Basic Student Support FTE”. This is because they are basic student support. So to cut these back so drastically, ranging from -33% to -66%, it must save a lot of money. However, it does not. These cuts amount to $177,000. Let’s use some cost-benefit analysis here. The undeniable and scientifically proven benefits of a library and access to books as well as having a ‘third place’ speak for themselves. The impact libraries have on students is enormous. Now students will see their librarian and have access to libraries for much less time (on average: half the amount). All of this is done to scrounge up a measly 177,000 dollars. This is an example of the cost (to students) outweighing the benefit ($177,000) 

In comparison, $177,000 is about $30,000 more than the average executive leadership team salary. I wouldn’t bring this up if we were fairly weighted in Admin. But we aren’t. Corvallis has 400 students per one executive leadership team member. In comparison Salem Keizer has 5,625 students per executive leadership team member, Portland Public Schools has 3,700, Bend-Lapine has 1,400; to which Ryan Noss said, “Do we want to be a Bend or an Ashland? I know I want to be a Bend.”

Why should students, particularly elementary, see the brunt of these cuts. The district said the largest chunk of the deficit shortfall would be succumbed from district office cuts. Looking through the budget, I can see instances where district wide programs and staff who operate in the schools are cut. (Like Mental health Specialists). But no instance where the District Office is burdened as much as students. It’s not just libraries being cut. Elementary students will also have half as much time in their music and art classes, the High School Percussion band is completely cut, and programs like AVID which help students prepare for college are being sunsetted. 

To make cuts at this magnitude must mean we are in a drastic scenario and all unnecessary spending should be halted; this is not the case. The district, operating through the board goals, has shown that sustainability plans and consulting are more important than student services. Administration Services budget has increased 14% from last year with the additional money accredited to “Consulting and Salary increases”. Does the district think hiring consultants and raising the top of the top’s salary is the right decision at such a time? The Board of Education Services increased 41% for Legal Services. Again, at least be transparent about what these legal and consulting services are, and show the community why you value them over libraries, arts, and music. The district’s sustainability plan amounts to $245,000 this year. I am all for sustainability but when students are having libraries, time in music and art, and support services cut, I’m not sure if new compost bins and solar panels will bridge that gap. 

Despite all of this, the language from the Superintendent and Financial + Business Director is that they understand and it’s a hard time with hard decisions. While I believe both of these administrators to be highly exceptional and committed, this language does not hit with faculty who are paid 3-5 times less than you. 

If the budget is approved by the budget committee and then the school board, the school year of 2024-25 will be a somber one, especially for K-5 kiddos.