The path forward for school crossing guards in Battle Ground remains uncertain following voters' rejection of the district’s replacement levy earlier this year.
The Battle Ground Public Schools Board of Directors on Aug. 25 finalized $14 million in budget cuts for the 2025-26 school year. Among the reductions: crossing guards dropped from 25 to seven across the district.
District officials say they’ve tried to focus the remaining crossing guards where they are most needed.
“The remaining seven crossing guards … have been positioned at busier intersections around primary schools, including Main Street and Fifth Avenue,” Amanda Richter, the district’s director of communications, wrote in an email to The Reflector.
Richter declined to set up an interview with Superintendent Whitten to discuss potential funding options, instead answering questions directly to The Reflector through email.
During last week’s Monday board meeting, BGPS Superintendent Shelly Whitten announced the district will streamline its volunteer recruitment process to offset staffing cuts. However, crossing guards won’t be part of that effort.
“They are intended to assist staff who have gained responsibilities as a result of the reductions, but they are not designed to replace the positions that have been cut,” Richter later clarified. “Licensed practical nurses, for example, have specific licensure requirements, and the services cannot be provided in a volunteer capacity. Crossing guards must be trained and coverage may not be consistently available on a volunteer basis. In addition, volunteers may not be used to replace paid staff, whether temporarily or long-term, due to existing contractual agreements.”
For now, the district has no clear path for additional crossing guards without a levy. When asked, Richter said she was not aware of any state grants that could restore crossing guard positions, although the district is open to exploring funding options.
Locals show concern, divide online over crossing guard reduction
The reduction of crossing guards district-wide was noticeable for hundreds of Facebook commenters. Kylee Davis, a parent at Captain Strong Primary, shared her concerns in a Facebook post during the first week of school.
“...For my son’s school, Captain Strong [Primary], there were only two crossing guards—one across from the school, and one down near the chief. My boyfriend and I almost got hit walking across the school after the cross guard yelled at them to stop. I am so nervous for all of our children this year, if on the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, there was already almost an accident. Next year we have to vote yes to keep our children safe,” she wrote.
Kyle Premo added his own experience.
“Daybreak had 0 crossing guards. Watched two kids get cut off mid-step,” he wrote.
Not everyone agreed that the reduction poses a safety risk.
“There's no good reason why middle and high school students can't navigate crossing any of the roads in BG w/o somebody holding their hands,” JimVal Williams wrote. “Time for parents to step up and teach their own kids some life skills. Sheesh, how are they going to function in the real world?”
Tauni Franklin responded with frustration.
“It’s not just about teaching kids how to cross roads, it’s about dangerous drivers not paying attention or driving too fast,” they responded.
