PSS Faces Looming Budget Crisis Amid Massive Typhoon Facility Repairs

The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Public School System is navigating a severe dual crisis, facing both a multi-million-dollar budget shortfall and millions in typhoon-related facility damages.
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During a special meeting of the CNMI Board of Education on May 20, Commissioner of Education Dr. Lawrence Camacho revealed a stark financial reality: the governor’s budget submission to the legislature allocates only $37.7 million for the school district. This figure falls drastically short of the $52 million the district says it needs, and rests below the $40 million minimum required to maintain a standard 80-hour work week for employees.
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The current $37.7 million proposal would force the district to implement a 64-hour austerity work week.
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“A 37.7 at the bottom, at the end of the day, really means a 64-hour austerity measure for us with no furlough,” Camacho stated. He warned that any funding below this level would force PSS to revisit the severe measures experienced last year, including direct employee furloughs.

The situation mirrors broader economic anxieties across the territory. Board of Education member Andrew Orsini expressed deep concern over circulating rumors that the central government may be slashed to a 20-hour work week to accommodate a projected $101 million limit in available general funds.
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“My concern right now is looking at the next school year based on this forecast," Orsini said. And added “At a 64-hour week, I’m not too sure that is going to be compelling to even go further... It really baffles me and concerns me as to how we’re going to move forward.”
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If the legislature reduces the PSS budget even further, the consequences will be catastrophic. Dr. Camacho warned that a budget dropping below $31 million would trigger immediate school shutdowns and staff furloughs. Furthermore, crossing that threshold would jeopardize the district's ability to provide mandatory matching funds for vital federal grants, including Special Education and Head Start.
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This financial instability threatens more than just payroll; it poses a direct risk to the district's accreditation status. An accrediting body is scheduled to conduct a mid-cycle review this summer. While initial communications indicated the district remains in good standing despite the recent natural disaster, officials acknowledge that severe budget cuts could severely complicate the upcoming review.
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​Compounding the fiscal emergency is the physical devastation across the island's public schools. The district estimates that district-wide mold remediation alone will cost approximately $1 million. However, these deep remediation efforts are currently stalled: without stable island power to run air conditioning and dehumidifiers, the mold will inevitably return.
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The Board reviewed detailed damage assessments highlighting severe operational gaps across several campuses - Garapan Elementary: Operating in a highly limited capacity with no electricity. The cafeteria and another building entirely lost their roofs. Approximately 16 of the 24 classrooms are salvageable, pending mold remediation, Koblerville Elementary - The district is currently contracting vendors to demolish destroyed tents and temporary structures. PSS plans to install modular classrooms in these areas, though the project is expected to take up to 12 months, Tanapag Middle School: While classrooms have undergone deep cleaning, 14 of the 17 usable classrooms still lack power and require extensive mold treatment, and the Hopwood Middle School campus is battling severe mold problems, significant debris buildup, and heavy damage to shared facilities.
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​Beyond financial and structural hurdles, board members raised alarm over the ongoing use of PSS personnel to manage emergency shelters located on school campuses.
​Members argued that the district does not have the budget to cover differential pay for staff managing these shelters on a long-term basis. Several board members asserted that agencies like Homeland Security or the Red Cross should formally take over shelter operations, allowing PSS to refocus its rapidly dwindling resources on educational recovery and campus repairs.