IDAHO FALLS — In the first year of its contingency plan for a failed levy, the Bonneville School District would eliminate P.E. and music programs, phase out gifted and talented offerings and reassign teachers to cut costs.

In the second year, all-day kindergarten would become half-day kindergarten, according to the plan trustees unanimously approved during a board meeting Wednesday night.

Superintendent Scott Woolstenhulme, who presented the plan to the board, said the district would draw from savings to fund all-day kindergarten for one year if the levy fails.

“I just want to be clear this is nothing, I think, any of us want to do,” the superintendent said of the cuts.

Woolstenhulme said Wednesday that his plan would be the first opportunity for patrons and faculty to see what could happen if voters reject a two-year, $19.2 million supplemental levy set for the May 19 election.

Some cuts are planned regardless of the levy: District administrators agreed to forego salary increases and a monthly $100 mileage allowance in the wake of a budget shortfall leaders peg at $6 million.

A bleak budget outlook follows Bonneville’s continued enrollment declines and lawmakers’ decision this session to keep state K-12 funding flat. Still, leaders in Bonneville and other districts are preparing to cut their budgets — even though K-12 has been exempt from other statewide cuts.

Trustees reflected on what’s changed in Bonneville since last increasing the levy in 2017.

“We have inflation, we’ve opened more schools,” said trustee Randy Smith.

Woolstenhulme last month laid out potential cost-saving measures, including a possible staff reduction of around 40 employees, in a March livestream and Facebook post. Trustees then voted to increase their levy ask from $11.6 million to $19.2 million.

The district has drawn from its fund balance to offset budget struggles, but at Bonneville’s current rate of spending, leaders say savings will run dry by 2027.