[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6578520,"mediaKeyId","3168485-816244d0593fbbeeea1d6082e9724fc6","parentId",3168485,"title","Teachers, union leaders press Beverly Hills Unified for timely contract talks as educators report financial strain","audioSeconds",435,"startMs",1905000,"endMs",2340000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3168485-816244d0593fbbeeea1d6082e9724fc6&start=1905&end=2340","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3168485-816244d0593fbbeeea1d6082e9724fc6/thumbnail_1905000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6578520/California/Teachers-union-leaders-press-Beverly-Hills-Unified-for-timely-contract-talks-as-educators-report-financial-strain","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6578520-6ba5cd4b9de78bf006d93f5d323b29e3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770512570&Signature=YGTEYZCm-GZibd6MWAF-l5MXkoZ8lVqXV3I~0cGPJlLt1onVETT3xSm-2a6I2nNoHVP2dmuJyuzaQi8y39bYEpFA4iI1x45Fzl8DTcHvV93dnK3mob9WITblDB2RDFdp2imHZ5XJO3PknLOCMi-Ey9DiHfzAuFsNMj2-TmgzWvo3LuiAtMvBnNd3Xg51WCJNblteuEwOq9HQrwC0OIJWT9gTwQcjoEIz46CKoWCEPqOiSQRIehONsJ6idVL8~XBKwFQ4mQxm-hWFyP0dYdxyG2TLAZmrp~FEMvRUCIdnpZctCYRl9z-fZTTOTa68U5dszx9p4GeZWpnzFY9fvZLrjg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-30T04:51:15Z","article","Union officials and teachers addressed the board during public comment on April 29 to urge faster progress in contract bargaining and to highlight the financial pressures classroom staff face.

Catherine Warren, president of the Beverly Hills Education Association (BHEA), said the union planned to be at the bargaining table on May 1 and criticized the district for delaying a counteroffer until June 1. “I would like to remind you that the last day of school is May 30,” Warren said. She told the board BHEA had prepared to bargain on April 16 but said “no one from the district showed up” and that the district later cited a leadership transition and a budget review as reasons to wait until June.

Annette Levy Goldstein, a longtime BHUSD teacher, described facing multiple jobs and high out-of-pocket medical costs and invoked a recent district audit. “It is well documented in the Beverly Hills audit that our district is out of compliance with the required percentage of the budget being allocated for salaries and benefits for staff,” she said, referring to a cited 55% threshold. Goldstein urged the board to prioritize teacher compensation, health benefits and stability so educators can afford to remain in the district.

Both speakers said uncertainty — about salary, benefits and class assignments — was harming morale and could undermine classroom continuity. Warren said many elementary teachers had continued to provide instruction despite leadership changes and administrative turnover and asked the board to empower negotiating staff with parameters to allow multiple negotiation rounds before the school year ends.

What the board and staff said

Board members acknowledged the concerns and invited further engagement. Dr. Hasty, the superintendent, and district negotiators were present and said bargaining would continue; the public record shows BHEA’s bargaining session was scheduled for May 1. The board did not adopt contract language or take a formal vote during public comment; staff and union representatives will continue formal negotiations under the district’s collective-bargaining process.

Why this matters

Teacher pay and benefits are a central part of local education budgets and collective bargaining. The union’s comments underscore a short timeline: the school year ends May 30 while union representatives and the district continue to negotiate. The district’s allocation of funds and any required bargaining parameters will materially affect employees and classroom staffing for next year.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","BHUSD Regular Board of Education Meeting | April 29, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Union leaders and classroom teachers used public comment time to urge the board to reach a fair contract before the school year ends, citing stalled bargaining, budget priorities and an audit finding that the district remains below a 55% threshold for staff salaries and benefits.","taxTitle","Beverly Hills Unified, School Districts, California","taxId",46623,"location","California","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6578525,"Major bond projects advance: Beverly Hills Unified board signs off on Building C, Grand Lawn and other bond contract work",7433,3367000,10800000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3168485-816244d0593fbbeeea1d6082e9724fc6&start=3367&end=10800","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3168485-816244d0593fbbeeea1d6082e9724fc6/thumbnail_3367000.jpg","/articles/6578525/California/Major-bond-projects-advance-Beverly-Hills-Unified-board-signs-off-on-Building-C-Grand-Lawn-and-other-bond-contract-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6578525-e9c8a4141ec046d161479519c53c3862/orig.mp4?Expires=1770512570&Signature=ERDOl2F3A5OAvLb3h7hSnlbl0udHnhuGHb0-qhvvVQTO~r8iA2Q0yddPx8HIm-ExXzj~sj3rC8iJ3Li5NlT8inZaXkuiirKHUZZSdVxYdc-TPcurE3O9v38ZfK3EhP-7B4aMnkjTPlXrXhl55ggSRefSY4gSODdn6wlIPLW-ayLZhyXFhATroOp~ts-OucoWVDXYugLezcPdNNYnL7zEOByElo9mMRI9yj6fQFZxH7s0JI9WQJT2B1fGvUmycF0vwQKt-1ZvbH~NTXG1lzOUD-c8T~zSLZi7zMGlBg1jkZkpuQIptBHmeBnm24JNDiSaUNhuI5gB9FsguoT95hEmOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Beverly Hills Unified School District received a detailed bond program update on April 29 and approved contract amendments that move Building C (the new Conheim Gym and outdoor pool), the Grand Lawn and several athletic projects further into construction.

Amin Salari and the district’s bond team reported multiple projects already under construction and provided timelines and cost updates. Key points presented to the board:

- Building C (new gym and outdoor pool): construction contractors began key site work last fall; the district reported initial work started Oct. 26, 2024. The district’s current contract price for Building C is about $62 million; an earlier internal estimate was $57 million. District staff attributed roughly a $6 million differential largely to required night work ordered or permitted by government agencies for environmental or logistical reasons.
- Grand Lawn (front lawn) and new drop-off: staff said they hope to start that scope in August and finish by January 2026 if the board approves the pending contract amendment; district staff said they sought a lower-cost bid and accepted a schedule trade-off to save roughly $1.3 million.
- Upper athletic field (six tennis courts and a softball field) is under construction and expected to be serviceable in August 2025; portions of the athletic plaza and restroom building were scheduled for completion by late 2025.
- B3/B4 (performing-arts and arts buildings) were reported near finish; internal finishes (seating, ceiling, flooring) were in progress and expected to be ready for the fall.
- South Side project (stadium and baseball) remains the last major package to award; staff proposed value-engineering and phasing options so the district could complete as much as possible with funds on hand and leverage anticipated state grants later.

Budget status and funding

Bond program managers said the overall program deficit had been substantially reduced. The team presented a current gap estimate of approximately $16.2 million, down from earlier projections that had been as large as $90 million–$120 million when the program was re-evaluated. Staff also noted a technology set-aside of about $6.8 million that could be reallocated conservatively to construction if needed; staff indicated roughly $6 million of those funds could be returned to construction to help close the gap while keeping a technology reserve.

Night work and community impacts

Board members and staff emphasized the reason for the added cost on Building C: required night work for excavation and soil export made the work materially costlier. The bond team described mitigation measures — 24/7 monitoring, noise blankets and other site practices — and said about 90% of night work would be complete by June 2025 with only two brief additional night windows to finish remaining excavation.

Board action

The board approved the GMP contract amendments and associated package that finalize Building C scope and move forward the Grand Lawn and other items. The motion passed unanimously (5–0) after discussion. Staff said the contract contingency was reduced to a fixed $900,000 line-item in the GMP amendment instead of a formula percentage to limit potential additional exposure; unused contingency would be released to the district at contract close.

What happens next

Staff said they will perform value engineering on the South Side stadium project and return with phased options and timing, especially to align with pending state modernization grant applications the district is eligible to submit later in 2025.

Why this matters

The approvals commit the district to near-term construction activity that will transform Beverly Hills High School’s campus — new gym and pool, performing-arts spaces, tennis courts and a grand front lawn — while staff continue to manage a remaining program gap and to pursue state funding to avoid borrowing (COPS) or other deficit-financing options.","The board approved contract amendments and updates to the district's bond construction program, including finalizing the scope and price for Building C (new gym + pool), advancing the Grand Lawn and athletic-field work, and reporting a narrowed budget shortfall compared with prior estimates.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6578530,"Beverly Hills Unified approves Right At School contract for expanded-learning program despite board concerns about cost",0,2861000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3168485-816244d0593fbbeeea1d6082e9724fc6&start=2861&end=2861","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3168485-816244d0593fbbeeea1d6082e9724fc6/thumbnail_2861000.jpg","/articles/6578530/California/Beverly-Hills-Unified-approves-Right-At-School-contract-for-expanded-learning-program-despite-board-concerns-about-cost","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6578530-229b0c8ffca6a0a1415c6c680a51809b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770512570&Signature=cYkFhf5DNoIKHuldoCIfLh3dTRfgwGjz7VN31abrb~t7HRGGIzAVqtfumNtzuzMnHWH9uJX~Ml5C2ylZIdDZcuLqthyjv-8RwZVnkOrZ63vlRGNZYiSBs~DWXY57RZv~MqSC0eRrPi3r9K8Aqt~Hkv2yHceN3rfhPzWw3dnK-VhS4o9pk4OeuQbG2lIcecCnpmm~3gbYaQJAOd4a34s-jk3mA1TX-q6P7hQQqGOC~aF1SxW4ItHciRa8v8SyLLFKLFJ8GtTYBqMNewIxjKrynQ45DrzENhz2~jHo64CeQLAoDMKl~GYeFtLDy43gjUrDu2kvFo5eWxnSsdOoFT0nFQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Beverly Hills Unified School District board on April 29 approved an agreement with Right At School LLC to run the district’s Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), a summer and after-school program the state requires for eligible students.

The vote passed 4–1 after extended discussion about staffing, vendor vetting and the program’s cost. Trustee Sabag voted no and repeatedly pressed the district for assurances that instructors would be vetted and that the program would not draw an unexpected charge to the general fund.

The board and staff described the contract as “not to exceed” and tied to projected eligible students. Dr. Seaman, an instructional administrator leading the procurement, said the district must provide ELOP per state law and that the district issued a nationwide request for proposals after the City of Beverly Hills and prior partners could no longer manage the growing program. “We went in partnership because we had a JPA agreement with the City of Beverly Hills. Per Education Code, we have to offer extended school day and 30 consecutive school days over the summer,” Dr. Seaman said during the meeting.

District staff told the board the contract assumes up to 581 eligible students across two elementary sites but that current funding from the state (ELOP allocations) totals roughly $518,000; the vendor and program scope could bring total costs above $700,000. Staff said the worst-case district contribution could be about $400,000, but that amount is a ceiling and the final cost will be pro rata based on actual student attendance and hours. The contract would begin this summer; staff said the vendor would start June 9 for the 30-day summer program.

Board members pressed staff on several points:
- Trustee Sabag said, “We need to vet every instructional teacher that’s going to be there because they are a part of us,” and asked for live-scan background checks and local hiring preferences.
- Trustees and staff clarified that Right At School will vet and live-scan instructors and supply insurance; the district will reconcile vendor invoices monthly against daily attendance.
- Staff estimated the summer-only fee at $1,200 per child for the full summer (about $40 per day) when families pay; eligible Title I students would receive services without fee under the grant.

Trustee concerns also focused on the funding shortfall: Dr. Seaman confirmed the ELOP funding is allocated by unduplicated student count and that Beverly Hills USD’s unduplicated percentage is lower than some larger districts, reducing per-student state funding. Staff said there is some carryover from prior years that will partially offset expenses.

After discussion about alternatives — running the program in-house, shortening hours, or approving a summer-only contract — the board approved the Right At School agreement as presented. The vote was recorded as: Javidad — yes; Stewart — yes; Sabag — no; Stern — yes; Manicheri — yes; Marcus — yes (motion passed 5 yes with one recorded no; board recorded one provisional student vote as part of roll call procedures).

What happens next

Staff will receive monthly usage and invoice reconciliation reports from the vendor. If attendance or hours fall short of the ceiling, the district’s monthly payments to the vendor will be reduced accordingly. The district said it will continue exploring alternatives and community partnerships (PTA, BHEF and local vendors) for additional programming or cost offsets in future years.

Why this matters

ELOP is state-funded but commonly underfunded relative to vendor costs. Approval keeps the district compliant with Education Code requirements so eligible students receive care with embedded academic support, but it also commits the district to potentially covering a portion of the program cost from general or restricted funds if participation and contractor rates exceed state allocations.","The Beverly Hills Unified School District approved a not-to-exceed contract with Right At School LLC to operate the state-mandated Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP) this summer and next year, with board members warning the district may need to cover a funding gap if enrollment and hours exceed state allocations.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Teachers, union leaders press Beverly Hills Unified for timely contract talks as educators report financial strain

Major bond projects advance: Beverly Hills Unified board signs off on Building C, Grand Lawn and other bond contract work

Beverly Hills Unified approves Right At School contract for expanded-learning program despite board concerns about cost