Dear Bethel staff, families and community members, 

We want to begin by welcoming our families and staff into a new school year. The first weeks have been filled with excitement and energy, and it has been wonderful to see students reconnecting with friends, diving into learning, and participating in the many opportunities that make Bethel such a special place. Thank you for helping us start the year strong.

Want to see good news happening across the Bethel District? Check out our Good News page!

We have recently received some questions about Bethel’s financial picture, and want to share an update with our community. Like many districts across Oregon, Bethel is facing tighter budgets due to a combination of reduced federal funding, declining enrollment, and rising costs. (School districts are funded on a per-student basis, so fewer students means less state funding). These factors shape every part of our planning — including staffing, long-term facilities planning, local and federal funding, and bargaining with our employee groups.

Planning for the Future

Bethel has been preparing for this financial climate for several years. We have strategically spent down reserves in order to protect classrooms and services, and to prevent major layoffs that would directly impact students. This careful approach has allowed us to continue supporting programs and services that matter most for student success, while giving us more time to plan for long-term sustainability.

We have also been working to right-size the district and align staffing with sustainable student–teacher ratios. This school year, we reduced 40 positions through resignations and retirements and are spending approximately $1.8 million from reserves. While some temporary contracts were not renewed, no staff have been laid off.

In an effort to bring costs and programming into alignment, we made the difficult decision last school year to close Clear Lake Elementary. Next week, our Long Range Facilities Planning Committee will begin meeting again to evaluate what the future of Bethel schools - specifically our middle school programming - looks like in this financial era. These conversations are never easy, but they are essential to ensuring the long-term sustainability of our district.

Bargaining Update

Contract negotiations and bargaining with our labor unions  is one piece of this overall financial picture. (Bargaining is the process where the District and our employee unions negotiate contracts related to pay, benefits, and working conditions.) We began negotiations with the teachers’ union in March, have held nine regular sessions, and reached tentative agreements on 18 articles so far. Progress has been steady but because we have not yet reached a settlement, the final costs of the contract remain unknown — which adds to financial uncertainty moving forward.

Our next bargaining session is scheduled for Monday, September 22, and we hope the productive work at the bargaining table continues. 

We remain committed to transparency and to working toward a fair and sustainable resolution that centers students and supports staff while keeping our district on solid financial ground now and into the future. 

Keeping Students at the Center

Even in challenging times, our focus remains firmly on students. Every decision we make is guided by our commitment to ensuring that Bethel students not only thrive academically, but also feel a sense of belonging, inclusion, and purpose. That’s why we continue to prioritize opportunities like middle school sports, expanded mental health supports, and a wide range of clubs and affinity groups that help students connect, grow, and lead.

Moving Forward Together

We are not alone in these challenges — districts across the state, from Corvallis to Reynolds, are navigating similar realities. What sets Bethel apart is the way our staff, families, and partners come together to focus on what matters most: the experiences and outcomes of our students.

We will continue to plan carefully, communicate openly, and keep students at the heart of our work. Updates on bargaining and our financial planning will continue to be shared with families, staff, and community members on our Bethel bargaining website.

Thank you for your partnership as we move forward together.

Kraig Sproles 

Superintendent 

Bethel School District