District overview
Jerome Joint School District #261
Funding structure, how it compares to peers, and where major projects stand.
A shrinking budget, a four-day week and a levy vote
Jerome Joint School District #261 serves about 4,000 students in Jerome County and parts of Lincoln and Gooding counties, Idaho. Over the past year, falling enrollment and a projected $1.5 million loss in reserves led the five-member Board of Trustees to cut 22 teaching positions for 2026-27. The board also adopted a budget with a smaller, roughly $700,000 deficit. After a year-long study, it voted 4-1 to move to a four-day school week in 2027-28. It is asking voters to renew a supplemental levy that pays for transportation, software and part of staff pay.
Four-day week from fall 2027
152 instructional days with no loss of hours, adopted April 2, 2026 on a 4-1 vote.
Levy on the November 3, 2026 ballot
$1.75 million a year for two years, replacing an expiring levy at about $60 per $100,000 of taxable value.
Staff cuts and a smaller deficit
22 certified positions were cut for 2026-27. The adopted budget projects about $33 million in general fund revenue and a $700,000 loss.
Paying down debt and selling land
Up to $2.9 million will go toward paying off Series 2020 bonds early, and a vacant field next to Horizon Elementary is being listed for sale.
Meetings are streamed by audio but not recorded, and many decisions, such as the staff cuts, are recorded without the discussion behind them.
Where the district stands
Major projects
Four-day school week
adopted for 2027-28A study committee charged in October 2025 reported in March 2026, and the board adopted a four-day calendar on April 2, 2026. A draft 2027-28 calendar is on the October 27, 2026 agenda.
- Study committee charge adopted
- Committee and superintendent recommendations
- Four-day calendar adopted (4-1)
- Draft 2027-28 calendar on agenda
Funding
Operating budget
Supplemental levy election
on the November 3, 2026 ballotA two-year levy of $1.75 million a year for transportation, software licenses and classified and extracurricular staff pay, replacing the levy that expires June 30, 2027.
- Election called
- Election day
Funding
Local property tax
Critical infrastructure repairs
in progressConstruction-management and design services hired in October 2025 for Jerome High School, Jerome Middle School and the district office. Electrical gear, HVAC, lighting, parking lot and boiler work were approved through August 2026.
- Construction management hired
- JHS electrical gear replacement
- HVAC and lighting contracts
- JHS boiler replacement
Funding
Not stated
Recent news
Board of Trustees meeting pages on jeromeschools.org (agendas updated with minutes), from October 28, 2025 through the October 27, 2026 agenda, plus linked minutes, budget, audit, levy, bond and calendar documents on Google Drive and Docs.
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