The Medford School Board will vote on whether to adopt next year’s district budget, which includes millions of dollars in program and position cuts, a week sooner than originally scheduled.

The decision from the board will come June 20 instead of June 27 due to scheduling conflicts for two board members — Suzanne Messer and Cynthia Wright, the chairwoman. Both cited family issues on the originally scheduled date.

In an interview following the meeting, which included a public hearing on the budget, Wright said the fact the decision was moved up bears little significance on the budget-approval process.

“We wanted to have all seven board members present to adopt the budget,” she said. “That was the main issue.”

Previously, the seven-member school board sat with seven community members as part of the budget committee, which voted 10-4 on May 16 to approve the $288 million budget for the 2024-25 school year. Michael Williams was the only school board member to vote against the plan, which was sent to the school board for review. 

The budget comes as the district braces for an anticipated $15 million shortfall over the next two years, and contains $7.6 million in cuts and the elimination of 32 and a half positions, mostly through attrition.

The budget includes reductions of four elementary assistant principals; 10 elementary teachers; two secondary teachers; two elementary elective teachers; a half-dozen teacher-librarians and a principal supervisor, according to district documents.

However, school district officials have not been able to stave off having to tell some employees that they will not be coming back to work next school year. District officials have said that having to let just three employees go is minuscule compared to other school districts, including Salem-Keizer, which announced layoffs of 112 employees — far less than the 400 estimated weeks ago.

Thursday’s Medford School Board meeting at Oakdale Middle School only saw two people speak during public comment. 

One was Marisa Petersen, a Medford resident who sits on the school district’s diversity, equity and inclusion committee. 

“This budget, it works,” Petersen said. “Thank you, Medford School Board, for supporting our students.”

Justin Eager, an instructor at Innovation Academy, touted the strides many of his students have made since the school opened in Fall 2023. 

“These students have found a home where they wouldn’t otherwise,” he said. 

Innovation Academy, located at 1321 Center Drive, is open to 9-12 graders “who thrive in smaller settings” and engage in project-based learning, according to the school’s website.

Innovation Academy started with 120 students but recently announced it would expand to 400 after the Medford Planning Commission voted to expand the school district’s conditional use permit. 

Superintendent Bret Champion announced in his budget message to the school board in May that the approved budget includes a $2 million reduction on capital projects, including plans to build classrooms at Innovation Academy location.

On May 23, the budget committee held a public comment session, which included remarks from Rep. Kim Wallan, R-Medford, a former Medford School Board member who asked the committee to consider several questions she had about Innovation Academy, including whether it should continue operating.

“Since $7 million was spent out of reserves to build that school — which is about half of the budget hole you are trying to fill — is it throwing good money after bad to keep it open, or is it cutting your losses?” Wallan said. “I don’t know the answer to that question, but it’s a good question to ask.”

On Thursday, Eager added that Innovation Academy has been “a big topic of discussion” when it comes to the budget, but he wanted to take the time to give the school board his observations.

“What I’ve seen is that this is the future of what we are doing in Medford to help students find their home, find their way and find success,” Eager said. 

Eager did not mention the capital project reduction in his comments to the board, but said in an interview following the meeting that it will impact him next school year “for sure.”

“I did teach a class that had no walls and we were in the middle of the school and we adjusted,” Eager said, “and that’s the great thing about Innovation (Academy) is that it’s not always smooth, it’s not always easy. We’ll adjust to what’s happening.”

He said the budget shortfall is “tough on all of education” in the school district, including his school. 

“We wish we had that remodel happening this summer, but next year, we’re going to keep rolling, we’re going to keep getting more students in and we’re going to keep doing what we do best — and that’s educating students,” Eager said. 

Wright said Eager’s comments gave board members an inside perspective on Innovation Academy, which she has visited.

“I already have very positive feelings about it, but I think maybe if there’s a board member that was less sure or less aware of the role (of the school) in our district, I think (Eager’s) comments could have been helpful with regards to their decision on the budget,” Wright said. 

Looking ahead, Wright does not believe the school board would amend the budget beyond what the district administration has suggested. 

“The question is, do we trust our superintendent and our administration that have created this budget? Or do we feel like there are things we need to change,” she said. “Approval of the budget shows a define voice of support. … Tinkering with it, changing it, kind of takes over their job and responsibilities, which sounds like we don’t have a vote of confidence in them.”

The school board will hold a regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. June 20 at Oakdale Middle School, 815 S. Oakdale Ave., Medford.