As pandemic funds run out, school districts start looking at cuts

JEROME, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — While the state budget is being discussed, there’s some number crunching going on in our local school districts.

Due Pandemic funds and grants ending, the Jerome School District, is preparing to make a difficult decision to cut some staff for next school year.

This is something the District has been anticipating for a long time. Superintendent Brent Johnson said they knew the funds weren’t permanent. He said they are trying to plan ahead while the state legislature discusses their own budget.

“State has yet to approve their final budgets for the schools for next year. But we know approximately what our allocations will be and so we start to build budgets conservatively based on the number of students and the number of staff we have and our allocations that we get from this year,” Superintendent Johnson said.

Many schools utilized pandemic funds to purchase supplies, add to their staff, and other uses. Deputy Superintendent Wendy Moore Idaho Department of Educations said they are hearing a lot of concerns from school districts about their budgets.

“Especially if they used the funds to increase their staffing, so that they did hire staff, for either remediation or to decrease class sizes or things like that. And without that money it did mean a cut to some staffing in some districts,” Deputy Superintendent Moore said.

That unfortunately is something the Jerome School District is looking at implementing.

“In our conversations right now, we are focused a lot on our hourly employees which are people that help our students academically, help students behaviorally, do lunch and duty recess, assist students in interventions,” Superintendent Johnson said.

Current approval recommends reducing 17 classified positions and at least 2 certified positions. Superintendent Johnson said it’s a difficult conversation to have, but they still want to find ways to keep them on staff.

“We want to get those conversations started and help people to understand that although this position might not be here, here are some open ones and can we move? And do your talents fit that? And start filling in those blanks and help us be fully staffed for next year,” Superintendent Johnson said.

Superintendent Johnson reminds people that the budget isn’t finalized all the way yet. Plans can change, depending on how much money the state legislature allocates to the school district or if there are staff members that retire. For now they will continue to work ahead and keep an eye on the state budget talks.

Deputy Superintendent Wendy Moore added they are making sure concerns are heard in the legislature.

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