La Jolla ISD board approves proposed nonrenewal notices for staff at early college campuses

At the conclusion of a closed session, the La Jolla Independent School District Board of Trustees on March 12 approved a motion to propose the nonrenewal of term contracts for administrators and teachers tied to an early college program change.

The board’s motion covered administrators and teachers at Thelma R. Salinas STEM Early College High School, Jimmy Carter Early College High School, the Academy of Health and Science Professions and STEM, and La Jolla Early College High School. The motion instructed the superintendent to provide the required notices to affected staff and authorized the superintendent to retain one or more licensed attorneys to serve as board designees for any hearings requested in response to the proposed nonrenewals.

The motion, presented in closed session and read into the record at the meeting, said in part that it was “to propose the non renewal of the term contracts of administrators and teachers … in accordance with the early college program reduction in force, and to authorize the superintendent or her designee to provide notice of the same. I further move to authorize the superintendent to retain one or more licensed attorneys to serve as a board designee on any hearings requested on the proposed non renewal authorized under this motion.” The motion was seconded and the board chair called the vote; the motion carried.

The action was taken as part of agenda item 12.6 and followed the board’s earlier discussion in closed session. The board did not read into the public record the names of staff whose contracts would be proposed for nonrenewal during the meeting. The motion also authorized legal representation for the district should any affected employees request a hearing on the proposed nonrenewals.

Board President Alvarez put the motion to a vote and, after the usual “aye” chorus, declared the motion carried. There was no recorded roll‑call vote listing individual board members’ support or opposition in the public minutes available in the meeting transcript.

The action affects multiple early college campuses and could be tied to the district’s earlier presentations on enrollment, staffing and master‑schedule alignment. The district indicated earlier in the meeting that staffing reviews are tied to academic‑return‑on‑investment questions and to master‑schedule outputs, and staff had warned the board that program changes associated with consolidations required personnel realignment.

The district did not disclose a timeline in public session for issuing individual notices, the number of contracts affected or appeal deadlines; the board’s motion authorized the superintendent to proceed with notice and to secure legal counsel for potential hearings.