La Grande school board schedules public budget meetings for 2026-27 plan

La Grande School District has moved its 2026-27 budget into public view with two committee meetings in one week, as residents face already-announced program cuts and a clearer picture of how the district plans to balance its books.

The first budget committee meeting was set for Wednesday, May 20, at 5:30 p.m. The second was scheduled for Wednesday, May 27, at 7 p.m. in the District Office School Board Conference Room at 1305 N. Willow St. That May 27 evening also included a 5:30 p.m. special board meeting and work session in the District Office Board Room, giving the board a full public agenda before the budget committee meets.

The district says the May 27 meeting can be attended in person, online or by phone. Public comment is reserved for the first meeting of the month, and requests for disability accommodations must be made at least 48 hours in advance. For parents, employees and taxpayers watching staffing, programs and facility spending, the calendar marks the point where district priorities start turning into final numbers.

The budget talks come after La Grande High School told families in a March 18 letter that the district was facing significant budget reductions tied to flat funding, higher operating costs and enrollment that had not returned to pre-pandemic levels. The district said it had used stabilization funds, grants and other revenue sources to soften the hit, but said the 2026-27 school year would still bring changes.

Those changes include the end of college-credit scholarships for dual-credit or on-site college classes, the end of unlimited access to online courses within student schedules and the elimination of an in-person alternative education program. The GED option will remain. Students will still be allowed one online course per semester, or a full-time online schedule, but students taking a single online course will need to work in a supervised computer lab and take tests in person.

The timing gives Union County residents a direct window into how the district is responding to pressure that has already reached classrooms. In May 2024, the district’s budget committee was weighing a proposed spending plan that would have kept all staff and programs intact. This year’s meetings suggest a tighter financial picture, and the decisions made in late May will help determine what La Grande schools can afford when the next school year begins.