Superintendent previews budget timeline, busing changes and recommends limited participation in state’s regionalization plan

Superintendent Dr. Douglas delivered the district report and framed several near‑term administrative priorities: budget development, transportation changes tied to a new elementary instructional hour, and how the district will respond to the state’s regionalization initiative.

On regionalization, Douglas said the state initially framed participation as a mandate but later made it optional; he recommended the board opt out of mandatory participation while cooperating in good faith with any regional work that benefits students. He said the administration must notify the state by Jan. 15 whether the district will be a mandatory participant.

Budget preparations will move earlier in the calendar. The administration proposed five budget workshops to accelerate the process so departments can present needs and the board can review potential staffing and program changes before late‑season pressure forces last‑minute decisions.

Transportation was a central operational topic. The superintendent outlined routing scenarios examined by a consultant: the district currently runs about 59 buses; a 3‑tier model would use roughly 52–53 buses and keep most ride times under an hour, while a 2‑tier model could require about 50 buses and may fit community expectations for start times. He noted the upcoming elementary instructional hour next year requires changes to start times and that final recommendations and family communications are expected in January.

Douglas said administration will provide more specifics to the board and include budget implications for any recommended staffing adjustments. He closed by noting the board would return to executive session later in the meeting to discuss a personnel matter.