Superintendent Castañeda releases proposed $1.12 billion budget for the 2026-27 school year

Salem-Keizer Public Schools Superintendent Andrea Castañeda presented a $1.12 billion proposed budget for the 2026-27 school year to the district’s budget committee during their first meeting of the year on Tuesday. The proposed budget includes a combination of district efficiencies, staff reductions and strategic investments in early literacy instruction.

The 2026-27 proposed budget navigates structural deficits and decreased revenue from the State School Fund, which does not keep pace with the true cost of running public schools. Earlier this year, SKPS shared proposed reductions for the 2026-27 school year, held community engagement sessions, and ran a community-wide survey to collect feedback on the proposal.

Through it all, the district committed to reducing district-level administrative costs first while investing in elementary literacy, maintaining mental and behavioral health services, and not increasing published student-to-teacher ratios.

“We anticipate the coming years of K-12 funding in Oregon will be lean, and it is during times of austerity that organizational clarity and commitment are put to the test. We are proposing a series of bold new investments that keep students at the center, alongside significant, unavoidable reductions.”
Andrea Castañeda, Superintendent

The proposed 2026-27 budget strategically aligns resources, invests in key areas, and fulfills the district’s commitment to improving student outcomes.

The 2026-27 proposed budget is built to continue the district’s two-year strategic plan, Climbing Together, to improve outcomes for students:

• Prioritizing early literacy by deblending many kindergarten and first-grade classrooms
• Continued investment in high-quality curriculum and professional development
• Expansion of the training academy to ensure staff are prepared to respond to student behavioral needs
• Refining data tools to empower school-based staff with actionable data in real time
• Improving student sense of belonging through elementary programming

Salem-Keizer Public Schools has remained financially stable by budgeting carefully, planning conservatively and using savings when needed to manage short-term cost pressures. However, financial challenges are growing because of escalating costs and declining student enrollment. Most of Salem-Keizer’s single-year general fund revenue is budgeted for staffing costs.

“I believe this proposed budget is responsible, but it includes real risk and a stark warning for the future,” said Castañeda. “We will continue facing all challenges and opportunities using our core values as a north star, and through it all, we will keep climbing together.”

Timeline for the budget process:

• May 5: Proposed Budget presented, no public comment received
• May 13: Deliberations, public comment*
• May 18: Public comment* and deliberations on the proposed budget until approved/recommended to the school board for adoption
• May 19-20: (Tentative – meeting(s) will only occur if the budget is not approved May 18): public comment* may or may not be received; deliberations on the proposed budget until approved/recommended to the school board for adoption. Additional meetings may be necessary if the budget is not approved/recommended to the school board for adoption by May 20.
• June 9, 2026: SKPS Board of Directors to vote on budget adoption

Meeting dates/times, agendas and information about opportunities for public comment will be posted on the district website.

*For meetings where public comment will be received, it will be accepted using the online public comment sign-up form; instructions to submit public comment, both virtually and in-person, will be provided on the agendas for those specific meetings.

Meetings will begin at 6 p.m. Meeting details and viewing opportunities are on the budget committee webpage.

The full 2026-27 proposed budget is available on the district website.