Pacific Grove USD unveils revised deficit plan, preserves three mental‑health therapist posts for one year

Pacific Grove Unified School District Superintendent Adamson on Feb. 27 presented a revised plan to address the district’s $868,148 unrestricted general‑fund deficit for 2024–25, proposing a mix of staff reductions, temporary spending freezes and reallocated one‑time funds while keeping three district‑employed mental‑health therapists in place for one year.

The plan, which Adamson said reflects community and board feedback gathered since the district’s Feb. 6 proposal, reduces teaching positions from a previously proposed six full‑time‑equivalents (FTEs) to four FTEs, keeps the district’s Spanish and digital‑learning programs, and limits elementary instructional‑assistant cuts to 0.375 FTE by not filling an existing vacancy. Chief Brogeman said the district will fund a third mental‑health therapist for one year by using remaining music‑and‑arts discretionary grant dollars and savings from replacing an outside contract for special‑education mental‑health services. "We do still have funding that is sufficient for 1 year when the fund runs out to fund that third mental health professional," Brogeman said.

Why it matters: Pacific Grove is a basic‑aid district that receives roughly 82% of its revenue from local property taxes and therefore cannot increase per‑pupil state funding by adding nonresident students. Adamson and staff told the board they are focusing reductions on the unrestricted fund (the flexible part of the budget) because restricted categorical funds (special education, federal grants, etc.) cannot be reallocated.

Key elements of the proposal - Staffing: 4 FTE teaching reduction (down from 6), a 0.6 FTE reduction at the middle school (three sections) and a reclassification of a principal‑on‑special‑assignment to assistant principal at the high school. The plan preserves class sizes at contractual targets and avoids pushing to legal maximums, Chief Brogeman said. - Mental‑health services: Instead of contracting out more specialized work, the district will house three mental‑health therapists on staff and use one‑time music/arts discretionary funds for one year to cover the third position. That approach, Brogeman said, should reduce duplication and improve continuity because district therapists “get to know the culture of our school and our district.” The district will collect data over the year to determine whether the third position can be absorbed into the general fund permanently. - Operational and program savings: Staff proposed a minimum 5% reduction in nonsite department budgets (estimated $175,000), a 50% cut to travel and conference spending ($150,000), frozen meeting food ($7,500), and a $200,000 pause on transfers from the unrestricted fund to the capital outlay (Fund 40), freeing general‑fund dollars for near‑term priorities. - Additional hires: The plan includes targeted additions intended to reduce caseload strain — an itinerant special‑education teacher and a high‑school hire that would reduce multiple teachers’ heavy overload assignments.

Public comment and board reaction Residents and stakeholders spoke at length about the tradeoffs. Mike Gibbs urged the board to make fast, deep cuts: “Cut once and cut deep,” he said, arguing personnel and pension costs strain districts statewide. Several parents and staff urged the board to protect mental‑health services, and Audrey Cordova, a district mental‑health therapist, warned the board that on‑site therapists provide preventive services and support that align with the district’s LCAP goals. Barbara Martinez, principal of Pacific Grove Adult School, urged the board not to use or redirect adult‑education restricted funds; she explained those funds were placed into restricted status statewide after the 2008–09 downturn to prevent school districts from sweeping them for general operations.

Process and next steps Adamson said layoffs, if required, must be finalized by March 15; staff added they will continue the budget‑development process over the next two months to identify additional savings or revenue options. Administrators also described longer‑term options (reconfiguration of grade assignments across elementary campuses, expanded fundraising, parcel taxes and partnerships) but emphasized that many require board direction, legal steps or community votes.

Votes at a glance - Agenda adoption (motion to add ratification of out‑of‑county PGHS basketball trip to consent): Motion by Clerk McNary; second by Trustee Watts; result 5–0 in favor. - Consent agenda (items a–n, including the walk‑on ratification): Motion approved 5–0 (student trustee vote recorded “Aye”). - CSBA delegate assembly ballot (David Kong): Motion by Clerk McNary; second by Trustee Shamas; vote 4–0 in favor. - Board calendar with facilities master‑plan update added to April 3: Motion passed 4–0. - Motion to extend the meeting to 10:15 p.m.: Motion passed 4–0.

What the plan does not assume Staff warned the board the plan does not yet include potential outcomes from ongoing labor negotiations with PGTA and CSEA; a 1% compensation change for all employees would add roughly $462,000 to costs, Adamson said. The plan also assumes the district will continue to seek reductions during budget development, and that some one‑time funds used to save positions will need replacement or reauthorization after 2025–26.

Where community members focused their attention Public commenters repeatedly urged the board to preserve mental‑health capacity, to prioritize communication about funding and programs (why some things cannot be shifted because of categorical restrictions), and to pursue long‑term revenue strategies that might include a parcel tax or increased philanthropy. Marie Hunter and other community members urged advocacy to the city and state on issues such as housing and healthcare costs that affect enrollment and district finances.

Ending note Administrators said the revised plan reflects board and community feedback and buys the district a year to collect data and pursue longer‑term solutions. Chief Brogeman framed the mental‑health move as a one‑year bridge: “The savings will still be $542,000 to the general fund because once again we’re going to use the money we're currently spending from the special‑education budget for those contracts and then also the 1‑time funding,” he said.