Trustees set staffing‑ratio framework as enrollment rises and approve second interim budget

The Eureka Union School District Board of Trustees on March 10 adopted new staffing‑ratio guidelines for assistant principals and counselors in response to projected enrollment increases and approved the district’s second interim budget that reflects the rising student population.

Superintendent Janus (identified in meeting materials as superintendent Janus) and district staff told trustees the district is projecting increased enrollment across multiple grade levels and expects the TK population to rise sharply. Staff presented a proposed staffing framework that ties FTEs for assistant principals (APs) and counselors to site enrollment thresholds.

Under the framework the board approved, junior high campuses with fewer than 499 students would be assigned a 0.6 FTE AP (the district would hire a 1.0 FTE and allocate 0.6 to the junior high, with remaining time used for district support). Junior highs with 500–599 students would move to 0.8 FTE and those with 600 or more to a full 1.0 FTE AP. For TK–6 sites, the recommendation set 1.0 FTE AP at 600 students and above and 0.6 FTE under 600, with intermediate thresholds noted in staff materials.

For counselors the district proposed similar thresholds: junior highs under 399 students would receive 0.6 FTE counseling support (hired as a 1.0 FTE with 0.4 allocated elsewhere); junior highs at 400 or more would receive 1.0 FTE. TK–6 sites would have 0.6 FTE at 0–399 students, 0.8 FTE at 400–499 students and 1.0 FTE at 500 or more.

Chief financial and enrollment updates presented to the board showed the district’s enrollment during the presentation at about 3,483 students and a projection range of 3,600–3,700 for the coming year. Staff reported more than 50 new enrollees recently and identified expected grade‑level bumps in second, fourth, fifth and sixth grades; the district said it has five months of open enrollment left before school start.

Financial officer Paula (district staff member) presented the second interim budget showing total revenues surpassing $50 million, driven by enrollment growth. The budget documents include an assumption of a 96.62% attendance rate and a built‑in projection of 54 additional TK students in later years; staff noted that revenues and cost pressures will be updated into May and June budget work.

Trustees asked how the staffing framework would be implemented in practice. Staff said the board’s approval authorizes the district to begin planning and to post positions, but hiring will follow contract provisions and internal posting rules; initial internal movement may occur before external recruitment. Staff emphasized the plan is flexible: if enrollment dips the district can adjust the staffing deployment.

Board members also discussed fiscal prudence. Trustee comments urged caution given statewide revenue volatility tied to capital gains and stock market performance; staff responded that the ratio framework provides a tool for measured, scalable decisions tied to enrollment. The board then voted to approve the staffing‑ratio framework and later voted to adopt the second interim financial report.

Actions recorded at the meeting showed unanimous board approval on both items. Staff said additional staffing requests and other positions will return to the board later as part of continued staffing‑ratio work and that the district will continue monitoring enrollment through the spring before finalizing postings.