Oregon Public Broadcasting

Oregonians will get a better sense Wednesday of what nine percent across-the-board budget cuts might mean for state services.

A list of possible reductions is expected to be released Wednesday morning. Governor Ted Kulongoski ordered the cuts in response to an unexpected $570 million budget shortfall. The actual cuts will be finalized over the next few weeks.

But some Oregon school districts aren't waiting for the final numbers. They've already trimmed days off the end of their calendars for this school year. Salem Correspondent Chris Lehman reports.

Last Friday was a good day for Brian Rebischke.

The long-time elementary school music teacher in Dallas, Oregon, was honored by his district as teacher of the month. Two days earlier, Rebischke watched as the school board eliminated his job.

Brian Rebischke: "That was a rollercoaster week."

Not only is Rebischke planning for unemployment, he and all of the other Dallas teachers were told they needed to wrap up their lesson plans three days early. It's all part of a budget-balancing move by district administrators.

Rebischke says the news hasn't really sunk in yet.

Brian Rebischke: "I'm just going to enjoy the kids this week. And look at my options and try to move forward next week. There's some emotional stuff going on inside, for sure."

Rebischke's dismissal means you won't hear students singing at Lyle Elementary School next year. The Dallas School District is canning its elementary music program entirely.

For students like third-grader Bekah Rocak that's bad news.

Bekah Rocak: "I like music and I don't want it to end. So it's kind of sad."

Classmate Isabel Montoya says singing at school helps her forget some of her troubles like fights with her little brother. But she says she understands that sometimes the people in charge have to make tough choices.

Isabel Montoya: "I really like music but they have to save money for the other kids to learn so I guess it would be okay if they let music go."

It sounded like Isabel was putting a positive spin on the situation. So I pressed her a little more on the subject.

It turns out just minutes before I arrived, the principal told Isabel the music program was going away.

Isabel Montoya: "I just hated the sound of that. I just didn't want to let music go. I love it."

For now the kids at Lyle Elementary are rehearsing for an end-of-the-school-year program. And it's not all doom and gloom.

The fact that they're getting out three days early isn't lost on some of the kids, like James Fennell. I asked him what it's like to get to get out of school early.

James Fennell: "Exciting and fun, because then you get to do like it's summer vacation."

James and his classmates will get out early next year, too. The district has already sliced seven days from next year's calendar.

It's the same challenge confronting district after district across Oregon.

Kent Hunsaker: "It's heart-wrenching to really think about some of the decisions they're going to have to make."

Kent Hunsaker is head of the Oregon Confederation of School Administrators. He says many districts have used up reserves and have nowhere to cut except teachers and classroom time.

But he says he knows that schools aren't alone in their troubles.

Kent Hunsaker: "The same thing applies here to public safety. The same thing applies here to the cuts that are going to happen in human services and other kinds of things. So where do you allocate the money is a real difficult decision."

For now, lawmakers appear to be content to let the governor make across-the-board cuts.

But legislative leaders aren't ruling out convening a special session after they've had the chance to analyze the proposed agency cuts.