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Budget Planning for 2026-27
Growing Together — Centering Students
4J is committed to being as transparent as possible and providing timely updates to our 4J community as it reduces spending for the coming school year’s budget by tens of millions of dollars. This webpage provides detailed information about the budget shortfall and the steps toward closing it. Importantly, it provides ways for the 4J community to stay informed and involved so the district makes needed financial decisions while remaining committed to our top priorities: students’ academic success and social-emotional well-being.
Latest Updates
May 27, 2026: 4J's Board of Directors unanimously approved the district's 2026-27 budget at a May 27 work session. General Fund resources are projected to be $289,618,800 while other funds are projected to be $242,299,138. This represents a total budget of $531,917,938. District operating expenditures in the General Fund are projected to be $274,991,982 with $8,876,818 in contingency and $5,750,000 unappropriated. General Fund operating revenues are projected at $258,598,800 representing a $16.4 million structural deficit.
The 2026–27 budget represents a strategic realignment of the Eugene School District 4J’s fiscal
resources with its core mission to prioritize student outcomes, even as the district navigates persistent economic headwinds. A convergence of enrollment decline, constrained revenue growth, escalating operational costs, and an influx of unfunded mandates—compounded by legislative restrictions on revenue enhancement—continues to pressure the District’s financial stability.
The board adopted tax rates and debt service levy for the General Fund tax at a rate of $4.7485 per $1,000 assessed valuation of the district and for the Local Option Levy tax rate of $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed valuation of the district and for the Debt Service Fund tax levy of $37,385,792.
The approved budget is balanced under Oregon budget law. The board may amend the adopted budget within legal limits during the 2026-27 fiscal year.
May 13: The school board conducted a public hearing on the 2026-27 budget and received public comment from about 20 individuals from district staff and the community.
May 6: The 4J Budget Committee approved the proposed 2026-27 budget at its final meeting of the season.
April 22, 2026: At the second budget committee meeting of the year, Superintendent Miriam Mickelson, Finance Director Matt Brown and other district leaders presented information on updated budget projections, including explanations for the difference between the greater shortfall amount of recent estimates versus the amount used in the planning and community engagement before mid-March. Staff also responded to committee questions posed at the previous meeting, and covered the outlook for various special funds.
Update #8: April 8, 2026
Proposed budget for 2026-27 school year presented
Update 7: March 23, 2026
First budget commitee of the year postponed
Update #6: March 19, 2026
Budget shortfall for coming school year increases with updated projections
Update #5: Feb. 4, 2026
Final of three phases of budget reductions approved
Update #4: Jan. 23, 2026
Final of three phases of budget reductions announced
Update #3: Jan. 9, 2026
Second of three phases of budget reductions announced
Update #2: Dec. 18, 2025
First of three phases of budget reductions announced
Update #1: Nov. 25, 2025
Combined leadership role for coming school year announced