For about 3 years now, the Ashland School District has been in a budget crisis. This situation has mainly arisen from overestimating revenue and underestimating expenses.  Districts receive revenue that is tied in part to enrollment, and then the district (as those across the nation) saw a large decline in enrollment during the pandemic; the revenues also declined without an adjustment in spending. Additionally, previous administrations neglected to provide the budget committee with transparent information in the past, which required a detailed audit by the business manager for the district, Sherry Ely. Ely states that the committee had not been aware of just how bad the situation was for almost 2 years. Because of these deficits, the district has had to go into significant “right sizing” (aka layoffs). Even with the staff adjustments, the district will still need cash to operate through the end of the year as well as through the start of the 25-26 school year. According to Ely, the interim funding the district needs will come in part from a 10-million-dollar loan from the Cashmere bank.

Although the district is in crisis, there have been significant strides made to close the deficit. The district has had the good fortune of receiving $890,000 from an anonymous donor. Still, this was not enough to prevent further spending cuts. According to an update from Superintendent Joseph Hattrick on the Ashland School District website dated April 30, 2025, “Approximately 30 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions will be reduced across the district. This includes administrative, licensed, and classified positions across the Ashland School District. Additionally, we have made reductions at the district office and will see a decrease in administrative and administrative-support positions district-wide.” A lot of the budget problems stem from declining enrollment rates, the end of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds and rising operational costs. Since 2017, Ashland School District has experienced a decrease of about 400 students, resulting in a reduction of revenue of around $4 million. This is partly attributed to the termination of Oregon’s open enrollment policy and the rising costs of living in Ashland. Additionally, on May 21, Hattrick proposed his budget plan to make spending flat for the remainder of the year as part of his 3-year plan to close the budget hole. His plan includes the loan from Cashmere bank to fill the deficit as well as the 30 proposed layoffs across the district. This continuation of loan in combination with the staff layoffs is a major component of Dr. Hattrick’s phase to budget reduction plans.

The staff most affected by these budget cuts are newer staff or teachers that don’t have certain certifications or seniority because the process is dictated by each labor union contract. These cuts, while necessary, are going to equate to increased class sizes. In the humanities department, three teachers had to reapply for two open positions, which were also open to outside applicants. Jonathan Weighter, current Humanities 9 and psychology teacher, and a new teacher were offered the jobs. However, just 2 weeks after Weighter accepted, he was notified that he no longer had the job, and that Beau Lehnerz was taking the position. Lehnerz explained that there was a reduction in the PE/Health department and essentially, he was given 2 options. He could take a full-time job at the high school teaching Humanities since he is also licensed to teach Social Studies/English and not lose salary or take a 40% reduction in salary and work at one of the elementary schools. He did not have the option of returning to high school in his current role. Per the teaching contract, assignments are based on seniority and there are 3 other PE/Health teachers in the district that have been here longer than he has. They get first choice. The high school PE/Health positions are the only full time PE/Health positions in the district. These cuts and shifting positions are expected to remedy the budget shortfall. In Dr. Hattrick’s budget plan, he acknowledges the Budget Committee’s lack of awareness about the crisis and states its unsustainability. “Our district and the people we serve deserve a school system that practices stability, safety and consistency, a place where students can learn, and staff can work without the anxiety of year-to-year uncertainty. This budget provides a prudent step toward fulfilling that promise.”