Carpinteria Unified swears in appointed trustee, approves superintendent goals and Measure U reports; board hears public criticism over legal costs

The Carpinteria Unified School District Board of Trustees on Oct. 14 swore in appointed trustee Jeanette Alcaraz, approved the superintendent's 2025–26 annual goals on first reading, accepted the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee's 2023–24 Measure U annual report and associated independent audit, and approved warrants and multiple donations. Members of the public used the meeting to criticize the district's recent legal spending and changes to public-comment rules.

Jeanette Alcaraz, appointed by the board on Sept. 3 to fill a vacancy, took the oath of office administered by Superintendent Diana Rigby. Alcaraz repeated the oath and pledged to "well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which I'm about to enter," after which the board welcomed her to the dais.

The superintendent's report and the first reading of the superintendent's 2025–26 annual goals drew substantial discussion. Superintendent Diana Rigby reviewed district academic and demographic data, saying preliminary 2024–25 data show approximately 17.2% of students were chronically absent (defined as missing 18 or more school days). Rigby reported that the Santa Barbara County Office of Education had reviewed and approved the district's adopted budget and Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) for fiscal year 2025–26 as required by Education Code Section 42127. The board approved the superintendent's annual goals on a motion and vote recorded as approved.

The board received a staffing report from HR coordinator Jacqueline Lopez showing the district had 128 certificated and 156 classified employees (284 total as of the September 25 report) and noted that Carpinteria's classified staffing per ADA and paraprofessional ratios were high compared with neighboring districts based on J-90/SACS data. Lopez reported that about 55% of classified staff reside in Carpinteria. The board approved three recommended personnel assignments presented in the personnel report.

Measure U and the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC) annual report were a major item. Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Jason Caff presented the CBOC's 2023–24 annual report and the independent audit performed by Christy White, noting the auditors issued an unmodified (clean) opinion and the audit contained no findings or recommendations. The CBOC letter, read into the record, said the district had issued the full $90 million in authorized Measure U bonds, received approximately $15.876 million in state reimbursement (OPSC) for facilities projects during fiscal 2023–24, and had completed about $91.2 million in projects to date; the Measure U fund balance at June 30, 2024, was reported at about $19.9 million. Caff's Measure U update through Aug. 31, 2025, showed the Aliso TK/K classroom project remains in progress, with an estimated remaining obligation shown as $6.8 million (an estimate the district said could change once the project is bid). The board accepted the CBOC annual report and audit.

The board approved warrants totaling $1,456,125.99 for the period Sept. 5 through Oct. 9, 2025. During public comment several speakers criticized the district's legal spending, linking multiple legal engagements and payments to an extended labor dispute with union representatives and the district's use of outside counsel; those commenters cited publicly available warrant and payment records and urged the board to prioritize classroom spending. The board voted to approve the warrants as presented.

Other measures approved in the meeting included acceptance of multiple donations (including a $26,900 gift routed through the Carpinteria Education Foundation for Aliso Elementary and more than $22,000 from the Rotary Club of Carpinteria in support of music programs), disposal of aging food-service salad bars, declaration of two nonoperational vans as surplus and authorization to advertise for bids, and authorization of a Measure U-related services agreement for bidder prequalification with LM Sweeny & Associates (prequalification fee $550 per bidder). The board also took action on several policy items: BP/AR 6141.2 (Recognition of Religious Beliefs and Customs) and BP/AR 6142.1 (Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention Instruction) were approved on second reading and adopted; BP/AR 3515.4 (Recovery for Property Loss or Damage) and BP/AR 5141.4 (Child Abuse Prevention and Reporting) were approved on first reading.

Public comment and board discussion also focused on district transparency and public participation. Several community speakers criticized recent changes to the board's public-comment rules that reduce time per speaker and limit comment across broad agenda categories. Speakers tied those procedural changes to a concern that community input has been curtailed and urged the board and newly appointed trustee to press for greater transparency, including clearer public presentation of administrative salary breakdowns in consent documents.

The meeting included a student representative report from senior Lacey Zimmerman highlighting recent student events (a concert sponsored through the SBCEO Children's Creative Project and a CTE fair), and Superintendent Rigby recognized staff and teachers for recent awards and professional development work. The board concluded with routine calendar and future agenda items, including a request from speakers to place further review of classified payroll reporting and declining enrollment on a future agenda.

Votes at a glance (actions taken) - Approve minutes, Regular meeting 09/09/2025 — Motion approved (recorded as unanimous in meeting). - Approve agenda and consent agenda (including personnel and routine items) — Motion approved (recorded as unanimous). - Approve first reading of Superintendent's 2025–26 annual goals — Motion approved (first reading accepted). - Approve staffing assignments (three hires) — Motion approved. - Accept 2023–24 Measure U annual report and independent audit (CBOC) — Motion approved; audit issued unmodified opinion; no findings. - Approve warrants, period 09/05/2025'0/09/2025, $1,456,125.99 — Motion approved. - Accept donations (listed in consent agenda) — Motion approved. - Approve disposal of salad bar equipment and authorization to dispose — Motion approved. - Declare two 2002 Chevrolet Express vans surplus and authorize advertising for bids — Motion approved. - Approve agreement for Measure U bidder prequalification with LM Sweeny & Associates — Motion approved. - Adopt BP/AR 6141.2 (Recognition of Religious Beliefs and Customs) — Adopted (second reading). - Adopt BP/AR 6142.1 (Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention Instruction) — Adopted (second reading). - Approve first reading: BP/AR 3515.4 (Recovery for Property Loss or Damage) and BP/AR 5141.4 (Child Abuse Prevention and Reporting) — First readings approved.

Why it matters: The meeting combined routine fiscal and facilities oversight with policy and personnel actions while community members used public comment to press the board on legal spending, transparency and limits on public comment. The Measure U audit and the CBOC letter give the district a clean financial report on bond spending, while questions about legal fees, administrative payroll reporting and declining enrollment were raised as topics for continued oversight and future board attention.

What's next: The board scheduled routine follow-ups including a first interim budget report and an annual audit presentation in future meetings; members of the public requested a future agenda item to break out administrative salary costs within classified payroll reporting and a closer review of enrollment declines.