Dear Bethel Staff, Families, and Community Members,

As we’ve settled into the rhythm of the school year, it’s been inspiring to see students engaged in learning, connecting with friends, and participating in the many opportunities that make Bethel such a special place. We’re grateful for the dedication of our staff and the ongoing support of our families and community—it truly takes all of us to create learning communities where every student can thrive.

As school districts around the county and state experience significant financial challenges, we want to ensure that our staff and families remain updated on Bethel’s financial picture. Much like our update in September, we want to share where things stand now, what’s on the horizon, and how we are continuing to plan thoughtfully for Bethel’s long-term stability.

Budget Deficit - Preparing 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 35 licensed, classified, and administrative 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. Starting last spring, the district convened our Long Range Facilities Planning Committee to evaluate how declining enrollment and financial uncertainty might impact our middle school programs.  These conversations are never easy, but they are essential to ensuring the long-term sustainability of our district.

Continuing Our Long-Range Planning Work
Our Long-Range Facilities Planning Committee held its final  regular meeting last night (Nov. 4) to formulate a board recommendation. This 24-member committee – which includes staff, board members, parents/guardians and  community representatives – reviewed financial data and projections, enrollment trends, and facility conditions to inform their recommendations.

The committee’s findings and recommendations regarding middle school programming will be presented during a regular session of the Bethel School Board on November 10th. Following the regular session, board members will convene a special work session to review the recommendations, ask questions and make an informed decision about next steps.  You can find more information about how to access that board meeting here. 

Options presented by the Long-Range Planning Team: 

Despite Bethel’s strategic spending down of reserves, thoughtful staff reductions and actions to gradually reduce expenditures, the district is still operating with a $1.8 million structural budget deficit. 

In an effort to address this ongoing deficit, the school board could decide to move forward with one, several or a combination of the options presented at Monday’s school board meeting. After that meeting, the board may still consider further programmatic cuts or staff reductions. Some options the board may consider include the following:

• Close Shasta Middle School at the end of the 2026 or 2027 school year to save about $1.6 million dollars per year.

• Reduce staff and programs across the district at all schools

• Continue drawing down reserves at approximately $1.8 million per year. This would be below the recommended threshold and could impact the long-term financial stability of the district. 

• Request additional information or discernment from the long-range team

• Some combination of several of these options 

Next Steps

Based on any decisions made on Nov. 10, we will host community listening sessions for families to share their thoughts and concerns and brainstorm ways to create a smooth transition. We will communicate directly with Shasta staff, families and all Bethel staff and families following the meeting.  We will share information about upcoming listening sessions to the overall Bethel community next week.

Financial Forecast Update
The state will issue their next economic forecast on November 19th, which will give us a clearer picture of Bethel’s state funding outlook for the remainder of this school year and beyond. This forecast will be critical as we continue aligning our expenditures with revenues and planning for the 2025–26 school year.

Bargaining and Mediation
Bargaining continues to be an important part of our overall financial picture. Bethel School District and the Eugene Education Association (EEA) have been in negotiations regarding a contract for licensed staff since March 11 and held 11 sessions. The two groups have reached tentative agreements on many articles but have not yet reached a full agreement that will provide more information about financial impacts.

To provide additional support for the process, both parties requested the assistance of a neutral mediator at the Sept. 22 meeting and our first mediation session is scheduled for Wednesday, November 12th. Mediation is a common next step in the bargaining process and sessions are led by a neutral state mediator who helps both sides continue productive conversations and work toward resolution. While these sessions are closed to the public, they often help districts and unions find common ground and reach agreement.

We remain optimistic that this process will help us continue making progress toward a responsible contract that supports our students, staff, and the long-term stability of our district.

Staying Grounded in Our Mission
Even as we face these challenges, we remain focused on creating learning communities where all students thrive. We will continue to take proactive steps to ensure long-term stability, maintain quality educational experiences, and keep students at the heart of every decision.

We are deeply grateful for our staff, families, and community partners who continue to show resilience, creativity, and care during this time. Your partnership helps make Bethel a strong and connected district, even in moments of uncertainty.

Thank you for standing with us as we navigate these challenges together.