Board cuts about 500 jobs, 10% of staff, to close a $90 million budget gap

What happened

On February 24, 2026 the board adopted a FY2026-27 budget that eliminates roughly 500 positions, about 10% of the district's workforce, to close a $90 million shortfall. The budget also raises the ratio of students per teacher by 4 and ends the IGNITE gifted-and-talented program, though the board later used a mix of state funds and reserves to partially restore teaching, nursing, and activity positions between May and August 2026.

Why it matters to families

The state's per-student funding formula (the Base Student Allocation) has not kept pace with inflation since 2011; district staff estimate that gap alone is worth about $1,275-$1,400 per student this year. The result is fewer teachers, larger classes, and the loss of some student-facing programs districtwide, not just at the closed schools.

The evidence

The board's recap of the February 24, 2026 meeting reports the FY27 budget's 5-2 adoption, the roughly 500-position reduction (about 10% of staff), the pupil-teacher-ratio increase, and elimination of IGNITE; the district's FY2026-27 budget book confirms the $90 million deficit figure and the flat $6,660 Base Student Allocation.

The source