By Investigative Reporter Linda Sutter – February 28, 2025
Del Norte Unified School District (DNUSD) is preparing to make significant staffing cuts, with the school board set to vote on eliminating several positions, including teachers, instructional assistants, and librarians, on March 4, 2025. These reductions stem from financial shifts as the district transitions back to pre-COVID operational structures.
RETURNING TO PRE-COVID FUNDING MODELS
During the COVID-19 pandemic, DNUSD used one-time federal relief funds to add classified instructional assistants and librarians, among other staff for student intervention to help address the student learning needs. However, pandemic-related funding exhausted and COVID’S long term effects stabilizing, the district plans to operate as it did before the crisis.
Before the pandemic individual schools received site funds, which allowed each school to allocate resources based on specific needs. The influx of COVID relief funds temporarily expanded services, particularly for student intervention programs. Now with those funds gone, the district must adjust its staffing levels accordingly.
DECLINING ENROLLMENT AND ITS IMPACT ON STAFFING
A major factor influencing these cuts is declining student enrollment. Since 2019, DNUSD has experienced a steady drop in student numbers, with a loss of 300 students. Most of these students reportedly relocated to Eastern Oregon.
Lower enrollment translates to decreased state and federal funding, which is allocated based on student census data collected annually on October 1st. The district’s current student-teacher ratio reveals an excess of teaching staff:
Kindergarten to 3rd grade: 24 students per class
4th-8th grade: 32 students per class
Highschool: 35 students per class
With these ratios in mind, the district has determined that there are more teachers than necessary to meet student needs.
LAYOFF PROCESS AND EMPLOYEE NOTCES
The board’s planned cuts will include both vacant and filled positions. However, employees must be notified in accordance with California education law. Staff members affected by the reductions must receive an initial notice by March 15, 2025, with final confirmation by May 15, 2025. Employees who do not receive a notice by this deadline cannot legally be terminated.
For classified employees, alternative positions will be available, offering some opportunities for reassignment. Additionally, certificated staff on year-to-year contracts will not be renewed, as temporary contracts are not guaranteed for rehire. Layoffs for permanent staff will be minimal according to the district.
FEDERAL FUNDING AND POLITICAL INFLUENCE
When asked if federal funding cuts were influenced by the current presidential administration, DNUSD Jeff Napier clarified that the district had anticipated these budget reductions well before the most recent election. “No, we knew these cuts were coming prior to the election of our current president,” Napier Stated.
LOOKING AHEAD
As DNUSD adjusts to post COVID funding realities and declining enrollment, the district is facing difficult decisions regarding staffing and resource allocation. The March 4th at 4 p.m. the Board vote will determine the extent of these cuts, shaping the district’s financial and educational landscape for the coming years.
