With cuts anticipated, West Linn-Wilsonville School District opens feedback survey for 2024-25 budget

The weather is getting warmer and school schedules are getting busier, which means that it’s also time for school budget season.

On Wednesday, April 17, Superintendent Kathy Ludwig hosted a webinar for public input and announced the annual online budget survey for community members to provide feedback on the budget process for 2024-25.

The webinar can be viewed on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC0TJ_P0E1E&ab_channel=WestLinn-WilsonvilleSchoolDistrict.

The feedback survey is available at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeBUD6vd0Up9VzEZazRrX81HdZy5rXvRe-lY_CTkGhY_NVoMA/viewform?usp=sf_link.

The survey will close on Monday, April 29.

In the video, Ludwig explains the school district budget process. In Oregon that begins every two years when the governor proposes a state school fund for all public K-12 schools. After the state’s Ways and Means Committee sets the statewide budget, the school district’s business office develops a local budget that is reviewed by the district budget committee.

This approved budget is presented to the school board and approved no later than June 30.

In the webinar, Ludwig addressed the reasons for anticipated budget reductions next school year.

“For the 24-25 school year, we plan to make modest reductions — approximately $4 million which is about 2.6% of the general budget,” said Ludwig.

In a slide, she also noted that annual payroll costs have increased by 7% while funding from the state only rose 5%. This, combined with high inflation pushing up the cost of goods, means that a budget reduction is necessary.

Ludwig will present the annual budget message at the Monday, May 6 West Linn-Wilsonville School Board meeting.