Grand Forks School Board Approves Staff Cuts Amid Budget Crisis

The Grand Forks School Board has approved a plan to reduce staffing by 13.5 full-time equivalent positions as part of a strategy to address a significant budget shortfall. Following a vote on February 9, 2024, the board aims to align its budget after revealing a projected deficit of $4.4 million for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year.

The district’s financial challenges initiated a comprehensive budget realignment process, which has now turned its focus to the specific criteria for determining which staff members will be affected. During a recent School Board Policy Review Committee meeting on March 12, 2024, board members discussed a detailed rubric designed to guide the reduction-in-force (RIF) decisions.

Understanding the Reduction-in-Force Rubric

According to Rachel Bruner, an attorney from Pearce Durick assisting the district, the rubric categorizes staff members based on three key areas: adaptability, academic and professional preparation, and seniority. These areas are prioritized hierarchically, with adaptability being the primary factor. Should candidates score equally on adaptability, the next metric considered will be academic and professional preparation, followed by seniority if necessary.

Bruner explained, “Once you figure out adaptability, if you have two or more people that are equal on that, then you move on to this next section. If you don’t have any that are equal, the bottom one on adaptability is the one that’s subject to RIF, and you don’t ever move on.” This structured approach aims to ensure that decisions are based on a fair assessment of each staff member’s qualifications and contributions.

The approved staff reductions include positions across various disciplines, with specific cuts as follows:
– K-12 music teacher: 4.5 FTE
– 6-8 interventions/special topics teacher: 2.0 FTE
– K-12 physical education teacher: 1.5 FTE
– K-12 multilingual learner teacher: 1.5 FTE
– Secondary multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) coordinator: 1.0 FTE
– Elementary enrichment teacher: 1.0 FTE
– 9-12 School Within a School Teacher: 0.6 FTE
– K-12 instructional coach: 0.5 FTE
– CTE information technology teacher: 0.5 FTE
– 9-12 graphic design teacher: 0.2 FTE
– 9-12 German teacher: 0.2 FTE

Criteria for Evaluation and Points System

Each category of the rubric is further divided into subcategories, allowing for a points-based evaluation that reflects each individual’s value to the district. For instance, within the adaptability category, having specialty credentials can earn a candidate additional points. The academic and professional preparation category also includes factors such as advanced degrees and special certifications relevant to their teaching field.

The final category, seniority, will only come into play if candidates are tied in the first two categories. Seniority will be assessed based on years of service within the Grand Forks district. Discussions during the Policy Review Committee indicated that certain subcategories would have capped points to prevent any one area from disproportionately affecting the overall evaluation.

Bruner noted the rationale behind these caps, stating, “Without putting some kind of cap on it or a maximum, extracurriculars could, and likely would, be given more weight than areas qualified to teach.” This ensures that the evaluation aligns with the district’s policies and priorities.

The next meeting of the Grand Forks School Board is scheduled for March 23, 2024, where members will finalize decisions regarding which specific staff members will be affected by these reductions. The outcome of this process will have significant implications for the district’s educational programs and its ability to maintain quality teaching staff during a challenging fiscal period.