The Stillwater School Board approved significant changes to elementary specialist schedules and budget reductions totaling $4.3 million during its April 8 meeting, as the district works to implement new literacy curriculum while addressing financial constraints.

The board unanimously supported a proposal to replace art and media specialists with science specialists at elementary schools, allowing classroom teachers to focus on implementing the new Benchmark Advanced literacy curriculum. The change requires 120 minutes daily for literacy instruction, up from the current 80 minutes, according to Executive Director Willis.

"We would be compromising that curriculum right out of the gate if we didn't make any adjustments," said Principal Berg during the presentation. The new schedule will integrate art and media standards into classroom instruction, supported by district-wide coordinators.

The budget reductions, part of a priority-based budgeting approach, include eliminating 7.5 teaching positions due to declining enrollment, cutting three secondary social worker positions hired with COVID funds, and reducing coordinator roles for programs including AVID and gifted education. The district projects enrollment will drop by approximately 54 students next fall.

Despite the cuts, the district is expanding some programs, including adding $125,000 for environmental education programming at Bellwin and extending the Amigos Unidos program to eighth grade. The board also approved staffing adjustments affecting probationary teachers and granted an unrequested leave of absence for one tenured staff member.