COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — The Coeur d'Alene School District (CDASD) is facing a significant budget deficit for the upcoming year, which means tough decisions are going to have to be made.
CDASD held a special meeting Monday night to discuss several options to save the district's 2025 operating budget, which is currently facing a $6 million deficit. Some of the options the district is considering include a four-day school week, closing an elementary school, implementing larger class sizes and staff cuts.
“There’s a lot of weight on these decisions and we don’t take these decisions lightly," said Shon Hocker, the superintendent of CDASD. "We're anticipating a $6 million budget deficit, which is a big deal to a school district with $100 million budget. That's 6% of the budget.”
During Monday night's meeting, Hocker emphasized a hybrid, four-day school week.
"It would be similar to a four day week, but just not every week," he explained. "So that's the that's the hybrid component of it.”
One of the main reasons for the budget deficit is loss of enrollment, according to Hocker. The district lost more than 400 students this school year and expects to lose another 300 student drop next school year.
“High housing costs make it difficult for younger folks who have kids in school to move here," Hocker said. "That’s evident by our, maybe older than most would anticipate, average age of a buyer in our communities.
For grandparents like Mollie Crawford, cost cutting measures are disappointing. Her granddaughter will be in her last year of high school next year.
“I don't think that four days is long enough to get in all the subjects that students need," Crawford said. "I want her to be able to have the best senior year possible. And that means good teachers, good subjects and good extracurricular activities.”
If CDASD transitions to a four-day school week, it won't be the first district in North Idaho to do so. Post Falls School District (PFSD) began a four-day school week this year in order to retain its staff and prevent layoffs.
“I would say it's gone very well," said Dena Naccarato, the superintendent of PFSD. “We have seen an uptick in student attendance, which has been positive. We have not seen a decline in student achievement.”
If CDASD implements a four-day school week, it will save the district approximately half a million dollars.
Hocker told KREM 2 every option is on the table and it's still too early to make any decisions. The Coeur d'Alene school board will have to make the final decision by this spring.
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