UPDATE: The Twin Falls School District will cut up to 20 teaching and counseling positions to stay within their budget.
Twin Falls School District(TFSD) has changed its Reduction in Force policy(RIF) to be in compliance with Idaho law. This policy is used to let go of personnel should there be a budgeting issue.
Superintendent of TFSD Dr. Brady Dickinson said, “[The RIF policy is] how [the districts] reduce staff if they have to and don’t have people leaving on their own.”
The new RIF policy is based on a point system. Dr. Dickinson said “[Teachers] earn points based on a number of categories. You get points off of certifications you carry and evaluations.”
This is in contrast to the old RIF policy which was based only on seniority; the policy was changed to be in compliance with Idaho Board of Education policy on Staff Reduction Procedure.
“I don’t think either [policy] is fair or unfair… but personally I like the new one; we want to keep our very best.” Dr. Dickinson said.
He also said the district doesn’t know if they will have to use the RIF policy this year and “probably won’t know until mid-April. It’s a last resort.”
The school district has never had to use the RIF policy, and the decision to do so will depend on the Idaho state budget for 2027.
