Bemidji Area Schools approves $2.7 million in staffing cuts, shorter year

Bemidji Area Schools is trimming staff and school time at the same time, with families set to see a shorter year, fewer positions in classrooms and support services, and a tighter squeeze on school schedules next fall. The board’s latest move keeps J.W. Smith Elementary open for at least one more year, but it also sets up a $2.7 million staffing-reduction target meant to help close a projected budget gap that district leaders said could top $3 million in the 2027 fiscal year.

The board took that step at its Monday, April 20 meeting, where Superintendent Jeremy Olson said nearly $1.7 million of the reductions would come from licensed positions. That includes seven elementary education jobs, three full-time equivalents in special education, and 1.8 full-time equivalents in K-8 specialist roles. For students and parents, that signals pressure on the parts of the system that most directly shape daily classroom experience, from core instruction to special education support and enrichment.

Another $1.6 million in cuts will come from non-licensed staff, although many of those positions could be offered again after July 1 in the next fiscal year. That makes the plan less like a one-time layoff round and more like a restructuring designed to lower costs while preserving the district’s ability to refill some roles later. The board’s approach shows how closely Bemidji Area Schools is trying to balance deficit reduction with the need to keep schools running without a deeper disruption.

The budget action came alongside a second decision that will be felt in homes across the district: the board approved a tentative agreement with the Bemidji Education Association, and the school year will be shortened by three days. Beginning this year and continuing into the 2026-27 school year, the last day of classes will move from June 3 to May 29. That change will affect family calendars, childcare plans and the rhythm of the classroom year, while also tying labor costs and academic time into the same financial plan.

For now, the district has chosen to keep J.W. Smith Elementary open and spread the cuts across licensed and non-licensed staff rather than deliver a single sharp closure or mass layoff. The question now is whether this is a one-year fix or the first stage of deeper retrenchment as Bemidji Area Schools works to bring its books back in line.