At its regularly scheduled June 10 board meeting, the Salem-Keizer School Board of Directors voted unanimously to adopt the 2025-26 budget after the approval of the district budget committee, totaling $1,148,650,319.
The number reflects a $25 million increase from the 2024-25 school year, but still represents a $46 million gap between anticipated revenue and budgeted expenditures.
“Public schools are expected to identify and address a staggering array of youth and family needs, such as medical care, solutions for food and housing insecurity, social work, laundry, crisis intervention, mental and behavioral health services and more,” Superintendent Castañeda said.
“While we are deeply grateful for an increase in state revenue, the growth of our expenses still significantly outpaces the state revenue increase,” she said.
It is important to note that the 2025-26 adopted budget is based upon the revenue assumption from the governor’s recommended budget, which has not been finalized.
Budget Breakdown
The adopted budget prioritizes the following areas as much as possible based on community feedback, established board goals and district initiatives.
Strategies and Efforts Toward the Following Five Long-Term Goals
- Improving regular attendance
- Third-grade literacy
- Ninth-grade students on track to graduate high school
- Four-year cohort graduation rate
- Student sense of belonging
Strategic Investments to Support Long-Term Goals
- Investment in high-quality curriculum and professional development
- Addition of licensed FTE for the dual language expansion
- Additional FTE to support behavioral health and special education services
- Continued investment in career technical education and music programs
- Continued investment in school safety
- Investment in operations to streamline business functions for employees
Uncertainty Regarding Revenue and Expenses
The proposed budget was built without finalized funding levels from the state and will need to be approved before Oregon’s budget is final. There is also uncertainty around federal funding levels and potential impacts to school districts across the state. Lastly, it should be noted that the budget was also built while the district is in active negotiations with the licensed teacher association. Therefore, personnel costs could exceed what has been calculated for the proposed budget.
“Despite these uncertainties, I remain proud to present this budget,” said Superintendent Castañeda. “With this budget and our district’s 2025-27 strategic plan, we are narrowing our focus and improving our conditions for positive growth. I see our excellence, recognize our gaps and dedicate myself wholly to being part of our shared future success.”
The 2025‐26 Budget Timeline
The superintendent’s budget message was presented to the budget committee on May 6, 2025.
Budget committee public meetings were held on May 14 and May 19 to receive public comment on the proposed budget and to discuss, deliberate and recommend an approved budget for school board adoption.
On May 19, 2025, the budget committee recommended an approved budget to the Salem-Keizer Public Schools Board of Directors.
The school board’s public hearing on June 10, 2025, fulfills the legal requirement to receive testimony on the approved budget and to take action to adopt and appropriate the budget and resolution to impose and categorize taxes for the ensuing fiscal year.
