Family advocates’ hours cut; community groups press board to find funding

Lisa Fraser, executive director of the Link Family Resource Center, told the Atascadero Unified School District Board of Trustees the nonprofit will reduce its family advocate services in the district to one half‑time position beginning Aug. 1, 2025.

Fraser said the reduction stems from “significant losses in state and county contracts” and that the Atascadero Greyhound Foundation has provided a grant that offered a temporary lifeline. “As of 08/01/2025, the Link family advocate services for the Atascadero school District will be reduced to 1 half time position serving only Atascadero Middle School,” Fraser said.

The reduction prompted multiple public comments urging the board to find local funding or other solutions. Carrie Collins, director of LINC family advocate services, provided counts of recent work: “they served 219 children and 134 families,” she said, and described advocates’ roles arranging transportation, connecting families with food and rental assistance, and responding to traumatic incidents. Chris Veil, a resident and longtime principal in the district, called family advocates “a key strategy to improving attendance, academic success, and school connectedness” and urged the board to consider ways to continue funding the positions.

Why it matters: board members and speakers said family advocates provide case management and sustained connections between families and school services that teachers and counselors cannot provide within existing workloads. Don Clickard, a resident and former teacher, suggested a short‑term, shared funding approach: “this year … we might look at … an opportunity for the district to fund perhaps half of the middle school advocate and half of the high school advocate” while partners and foundations seek longer‑term solutions.

Board response and next steps: trustees thanked the speakers and acknowledged the value of advocates. No formal budget vote tied specifically to Link was taken at the meeting; the advocates’ staffing change was presented during the public comment period and was discussed by trustees and staff in follow‑up conversation. Several speakers said the advocates’ duties are supported by First 5 San Luis Obispo (for ages 0–5) and by the Atascadero Greyhound Foundation’s grant, and that the two named staff members (Sonia Green and Bessie Hoffman) will remain partially assigned either to other districts or to limited roles.

Discussion details: speakers and trustees emphasized (1) the advocates’ role in crisis response and family stabilization, (2) the potential academic and attendance impacts if consistent family support is lost, and (3) several short‑term funding options including foundation support, district cost‑sharing for this year, and coordinated grant pursuit by community partners.

What was not decided: the board did not adopt a specific funding reallocation or formal motion to restore positions at this meeting. Trustees said they would continue reviewing possible options and appreciated offers of community support.

Community context: the Link Family Resource Center was founded in 2004 and operates bilingual, trauma‑informed family advocate services across San Luis Obispo County; speakers asked the district to coordinate with Lighthouse and other local nonprofits to preserve continuity of service for students and families.

Ending: trustees closed the discussion after public comments and moved on to other agenda items. Community members asked the district to keep the board informed about any short‑term district funding decisions and the results of follow‑up conversations with funders.