Board says Proposition 28 arts funds are held; plan due this fall
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Summary
District staff told the board the district has accumulated state Proposition 28 arts funding and will present a VAPA (visual and performing arts) re‑structuring plan by December; trustees asked for clearer timelines and budgets.
The Chula Vista Elementary School District reported to the board that Proposition 28 funds approved by California voters in November 2022 have been collected and reserved but largely unspent while the district develops a multi‑year plan for arts instruction.
Jessica Morales, the district administrator who spoke about arts programming, told trustees the state measure provides about $3.2 million annually to the district (figure discussed at the meeting) and that funds from several years have accumulated. Morales said the district has “3.2 1000000 de dólares” per year and that staff are working on a service model and a restructured VAPA (visual and performing arts) program that will be ready for board review this year. Trustees were told the team plans to present a restructuring plan and fiscal impacts by December so the board can make decisions for January–February budget actions.
Trustees pressed for clearer disclosure of how much Prop 28 money is on hand and how it will be used to avoid community confusion about unused funds. One trustee noted that while the district has reserve dollars for arts (the VAPA program has received one‑time funding in the past), parents and community members have asked why grant money was not spent sooner. The district said it has not eliminated arts instruction at schools and that interim funding has maintained programs while the long‑term model is developed.
Board members asked how the money will be allocated to campuses and whether the district will use funds to maintain current programs or to reconfigure staffing and program delivery. Staff said they are surveying school site needs, considering different delivery models and coordinating with principals; they estimated a draft plan will be ready for the board in November–December and finalized in time to inform 2025–26 budgeting.
Action: the board accepted the informational item and directed staff to return with a formal VAPA implementation plan and a clear accounting of Proposition 28 funds and prior expenditures.