Fargo Public Schools considering cuts to manage $4.5 million deficit

FARGO (KVRR-KFGO) – Fargo Public Schools superintendent Corey Steiner is asking staff for their input as the district looks to balance its budget.

Fargo Public Schools says it ended the 2024-25 fiscal year with a $4.5 million deficit, and the School Board approved the following school year’s budget with a $2.5 million deficit. The administration is working to reduce the 2026-27 budget by 2%, or $4.5 million.

In a video to staff, Steiner says balancing the budget means making changes to the district’s operations.

“To ensure we remain strong, stable, and student-center-focused, we need to become smaller, but smaller,” Steiner said. “That means taking a careful, but comprehensive look at every part of our organization. We are reviewing programs, staffing, operations, and structures to determine where reductions, or potential reorganizations can take place. This includes at the District Office all the way down to the building level.”

The district says, in the coming months, proposed areas of reduction will be identified and shared with both the school board and staff as part of the formal budget development process.