'My daughter cried': Evergreen Public School families upset by pending $19M budget cuts

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Families of Evergreen Public Schools are upset with plans to cut millions of dollars from the budget -- including more than 150 staff positions.

The school board voted 4-1 in support of the cuts Tuesday night.

The superintendent indicates this is final, though parents are still trying to get the board to roll back what marks a third year of cuts in a row.

At the school board meeting, all but one board member approved cutting almost $19 million next year. These cuts impact 45 teacher jobs, 22 teacher librarians at elementary schools, and several classroom support positions.

The superintendent said lower enrollments, a depletion of federal COVID relief money, and inadequate state funding are to blame.

One of their biggest concerns is losing librarians, but the superintendent claims they need more students because more kids mean more state funding.

“What we need to do to attract and retain students is to increase our academic achievement,” Superintendent John Boyd said.

Parents told KOIN 6 News that cutting school positions is not a way to try and win students back after they move to be homeschooled or join charter schools. Instead, they want wage freezes and more cuts made to district office staff.

“My kids are not looking forward to next year, because they love their librarian. I had to go home last night and tell them that their librarian was not going to have a job anymore. My daughter cried,” one parent, Courtney Bisig, said.

Parents say they hope to get the board to make changes before the budget is formally approved in August. Meanwhile, the Evergreen district’s teachers union said it's asking members to send a message by taking a vote of no-confidence in the district leadership.

Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops.