Eugene 4J Proposes $18 Million Cuts, Up to 159 Jobs

Eugene School District 4J unveiled its largest round of budget reductions on Jan. 7, proposing about $18 million in cuts to academic programs and support services as Superintendent Miriam Mickelson seeks to close an estimated $30 million gap. The proposal targets summer school, college readiness programs and some online offerings, and would consolidate administrative and non-classroom roles while reducing teacher support services.

Mickelson told the school board the decisions were fraught with human consequences, saying, "We are keeping front and center the people behind every budget line item - their passion, their purpose, their livelihood and their impact on our students." She added, "I just want to reiterate how difficult these reductions are and acknowledge the very real human weight that they carry."

The board is scheduled to vote next week on whether to grant Mickelson authority to implement the reductions. If approved, the superintendent would be authorized to eliminate up to 159 jobs in total, combining 32 previously announced administrative cuts with 72 classified positions and 55 licensed positions. District officials cautioned the authorization would be a ceiling, not a prediction; a district spokesperson said 4J does not expect to eliminate the full number of positions requested in the authorization.

District materials released Jan. 7 provide a program-level breakdown showing most reductions concentrated outside core classroom instruction but affecting services that support student learning. Officials cite declining student enrollment and rising costs, including increases in the state retirement system, as drivers of this year's budget shortfall. Mickelson has said she hopes deeper cuts now will allow for smaller reductions in subsequent years.

Union leaders pressed the board and administration to weigh the effects on staff and students. Eugene Education Association leaders described heightened anxiety among employees facing possible job loss and concerns about sustaining student supports with fewer resources. The president of the Oregon School Employees Association urged the district to apply empathy in decisions and emphasized classified staff roles in transportation, meal service, small reading groups and other direct supports to students.

Mickelson previously announced elimination of three assistant superintendent positions and cuts to technology and contracts. She is expected to present proposed classroom-level reductions on Jan. 21, with a separate authorization vote on those measures set for Feb. 4; that Feb. 4 discussion will also include potential changes to the Family School program the district has previously considered closing.

For Lane County families and staff, the proposed cuts could mean reduced access to summer and college-readiness programming, altered classroom supports and changes in day-to-day services such as transportation and meals. The coming board decisions will determine the scale and timing of those impacts, and community members have an immediate stake in upcoming meetings where elected board members will weigh whether to authorize implementation.