Salem-Keizer committee sends $1.2 billion budget plan to school board

After nearly a month of meetings and hearings, the Salem-Keizer budget committee has signed off on a $1.2 billion budget plan for Salem-Keizer Public Schools.

The proposed 2019-20 budget — approved by the committee Monday — now heads to the Salem-Keizer School Board for consideration. It's expected to be adopted in June and take effect in July. 

Five people testified Monday, bringing up concerns surrounding professional development, disruptive behaviors in classrooms, input in the budgeting process and calling for more culturally-response mental health training for staff and teachers.

The committee voted 13-1 in favor of sending the amended budget to the board. School board member Paul Kyllo voted against it. 

The committee's schedule stated public comment would be received May 21 — with deliberations held until recommended to the school board — and would be tentative on May 22 and 23.

While the committee was legally allowed to vote Monday and not have the Tuesday meeting, Kyllo argued it goes against public trust not to hold it when they said they would. 

Members of the committee confirmed additional public comment will be received by the school board before voting on its adoption in June.

Salem-Keizer budget: Transportation, special education prioritized in first budget plan

The budget is based on Gov. Kate Brown's recommended K-12 allocation, raised to $9 billion for the 2019-21 biennium.

With the passage of the Student Success Act, which Brown signed Thursday, the district is poised to receive $35 million. The budget plan does not include this projected allocation since they are not expected to receive the additional money until 2020-21.

Salem-Keizer's proposed budget is described as a "current service level model," meaning it covers the costs of existing programs and staffing, as well as anticipated changes to the Public Employees Retirement System. It includes $435 million from the 2018 Bond Capital Projects Fund. 

Perry's original proposal in April outlined $6.1 million in additions and enrollment growth adjustments, as well as $623,000 in reductions. Officials said reductions will come from their reserves, which are vacant positions created as safety nets. 

District officials were not able to confirm Monday what the total additions and reductions are now in the amended budget.

Budget priorities include behavioral learning, special education and transportation related to boundary changes. District officials said there may be some program changes, but no one will be laid off.

When asked what those changes will look like, Lillian Govus, director of communications for the district, said they will be based on enrollment and subsequent staffing. 

Story continues below.

One program change that's garnered attention affects West Salem High School's student newspaper — the Titan Spectator — which currently operates as a class.

The teacher leading the class is being assigned to different courses next year due to staffing changes outlined in the budget, so the class is likely to stop existing as it does now. The students have protested the change publicly in recent weeks. 

When asked what other programs will see similar changes, Govus told the Statesman Journal, "Remember staffing is based on enrollment. You don't want to tie the West Salem newspaper directly to the budget deliberations that are going on now."

She said the school's administration will revisit the topic with students in August. 

Govus did not list any other specific program changes, but provided a chart with projected enrollment and full-time equivalent position allocations.

West is expected to lose about three full-time equivalent positions — the most of the six traditional high schools in the district — due to enrollment changes, according to the chart.

For more information, go to https://salkeiz.k12.or.us/budget-committee/ or call 503-399-3001.

Contact reporter Natalie Pate at npate@StatesmanJournal.com, 503-399-6745 or follow her on Twitter @Nataliempate or Facebook at www.Facebook.com/nataliepatejournalist. To support her work,become a Statesman Journal subscriber and get unlimited digital access to stories that matter.