Oregon Trail School District Sees Budget Shortfall Both general fund revenues, expenditures expected to increase during 2026-27 school year

Sandy High students who completed a CTE program graduated at a rate of 100% for the class of 2025. (Photo credit: Brit Allen)

By Emily Lindstrand, The Sandy Standard

Though navigating a budget deficit of $2.95 million, the Oregon Trail School District remains dedicated to the academic success of every student.

Typical budget underspend may reduce the actual incurred deficit, which is largely a result of declining enrollment, by as much as $600k.

OTSD’s adopted budget for the 2026-27 school year is $109,713,343. Though total budgeted general fund revenues are expected to increase 3.8%, expenditures are budgeted to increase 7.8%.

In this year’s budget message, district leadership noted that they plan to eliminate or minimize the actual budget deficit incurred during the upcoming school year, but, “rather than speculate where reductions will occur, the budget has been proposed as a worst-case pending identification and implementation of changes.”

“As has been demonstrated in prior years, to strategically maintain strong programs for students and correctly position the district for future periods, we take time deliberating any potential reductions and work collaboratively with our unions,” said Garth Guibord, communications director for OTSD.

The adopted budget includes a $39,092 reduction in the school activities fund. $935,458 is budgeted for the 2026-27 school year, compared to $974,550 for the 2025-26 school year.

“The 2026-27 budget assumes conventional school and co-curricular activity will resume. The budget is provision in nature to provide spending authority to estimated school activities as resources become available to support,” the budget message states.

This year’s budget also has several areas of growth, including career and technical education (CTE), which was able to expand because of the High School Success Grant (HSS/M98 fund 252).

“(These) programs have proven to be a valued part of our curriculum, including middle school students earning high school credit and a jumpstart to the CTE tracks at the high school, and students who completed a CTE program graduated at a rate of 100%for the class of 2025,” Guibord said. “We continue to build on the success of these programs.”

Funding for the district’s summer programs has increased by $14,704, from $78,296 during the 2025-26 school year to $93,000 for the 2026-27 school year. This program was also able to expand through a grant.

“Our focus for the Summer Program is reading and math, and includes the acquisition of LEGO robotics sets to do this in a fun and engaging way. The robotics sets also provide students with an introduction to skills that can be utilized in a design-build future,” Guibord said.

Oregon State School Funding is based on student enrollment, which is declining nationwide. OTSD’s budget message noted that a study conducted in 2024 found that the district's declining enrollment is expected to continue over the next decade because of low birth rates and minimal housing growth.

“Our aim is to leverage the resources we do have, while maintaining a realistic perspective about future funding,” OTSD’s budget message stated. “Our administrative team continuously reflects on the budget and the process for mitigating deficit spending never ceases. We will be thoughtful in our focus on the academic future of all children in the Oregon Trail School District.”