For years, the School Board outsourced financial services to an employee from the Multnomah Education Service District (MESD). The budgets they provided did not accurately reflect the district’s financial deficits which the School Board failed to notice. It wasn’t until 2024, when CSD hired an in-house Business Manager, that these accounting mistakes were uncovered. Both MESD and CSD accept the responsibility for the CSD budget challenges.

In 2020, the School Board made a controversial decision to reduce student enrollment, which directly lowered the district’s annual revenue. While state and federal funding is often tied to student numbers, the School Board did not adjust spending accordingly, creating a financial gap.

The district relied on federal COVID relief grants to fund additional staff and programs, but when that funding expired, there was no long-term plan to replace it. The School Board did not adjust spending accordingly, so without an alternative revenue source, CSD struggled to cover the costs, contributing to the growing budget deficit.

The district laid off 3 teachers, 4 classified staff, and 3 administrators to reduce payroll costs. The loss of teachers and support staff deeply impacted both students and remaining staff, straining resources and increasing workloads.

Spending was restricted, limiting purchases of classroom supplies, technology, and facility maintenance.

Despite not being responsible for the financial crisis caused by the School Board’s mismanagement, teachers and staff selflessly took on the burden, accepting six furlough days and a 10% pay cut to help keep the district afloat and ensure students remained the priority.

Music instruction has been reduced, limiting opportunities for students to engage in arts education. As part of these cuts, the district lost a beloved and highly talented strings teacher, whose departure is deeply felt by both students and the community.

Spanish has been eliminated from the middle school curriculum, limiting students' access to early language learning opportunities. This reduction impacts academic enrichment and future preparedness, as students now have fewer options for developing bilingual skills before high school.

The budget crisis created uncertainty and stress for both students and staff and disrupted daily school life. Staff faced heavier workloads and pay cuts, while students lost valuable instructional time and support services. The lack of transparency and delayed decisions only deepened frustration, leaving many feeling undervalued, unheard, and uncertain about the future.

To stay afloat, the district borrowed $2 million from Multnomah Education Service District (MESD), offering short-term relief but adding to long-term debt. Link to letter of acceptance of the loan