Board approves community schools site coordinator job description after debate over title and sustainability

The Central Unified School District Board of Trustees on Feb. 25 approved a student and family services site coordinator job description tied to the district’s $8,312,500 California Community Schools Partnership Program implementation grant, but several trustees pressed the administration for clearer governance, sustainability and bargaining-unit protections before the position is staffed.

Assistant Superintendent Doctor Lopez presented background from the grant planning phase and described why a 12‑month coordinator with community‑partner experience is proposed: the grant requires a district-level coordinator who can braid community-based services, lead expanded learning opportunities and work outside regular school hours. Christina Rodriguez, supervisor of community schools and expanded learning, told trustees the district has already used partnerships to deliver food, clothing and intersession programs and will use the coordinator to replicate that school by school.

Trustees raised several objections during more than an hour of discussion. Trustee Sellers pressed for consistent, districtwide evidence that staff listed in site safety and emergency rosters have received role-specific training (for example, use of fire extinguishers or search‑and‑rescue responsibilities) and requested standard documentation. Several trustees, including Trustee Chavez and Trustee Kerfon, questioned making the coordinator a classified management position rather than a bargaining‑unit classified coordinator, citing overtime rules and the potential for reduced staff protections.

Public comment included a statement from Laura Bolton, president of the Central Unified Teachers Association, who said some aspects of the planning and the claimed "guiding coalition" were inaccurate as presented and warned that classified management employees may be reluctant to advocate for staff and families. In a separate public correction, Bolton stated a district health‑insurance premium proposal cited in bargaining would increase employee premiums from $221.18 to $810.78 if adopted — a figure she specified while addressing the board (see separate article on bargaining).

The motion to approve the job description passed 6‑1. Trustees who supported the motion asked the administration to return with a formal guiding coalition membership and charter, to revisit budget line items for sustainability (including options to braid funds with expanded learning) and to report back to the board on how the positions will be coordinated with existing family‑outreach liaisons.

What was presented - Grant award: $8,312,500 referenced by Assistant Superintendent Doctor Lopez. - Coordinator role: described as a 12‑month, flexible position to link community‑based organizations (CBOs) to school sites and manage expanded learning programs and intersession camps. - Staffing rationale: district surveys and listening sessions identified non‑instructional needs (food, housing, health supports) at pilot school sites; administration said 95% of non‑teaching needs mentioned in surveys were for classified staff roles.

Board direction and next steps The board approved the job description but directed the superintendent’s office to: - Assemble and publish the formal guiding coalition (site and district representatives, community partners and bargaining-unit representation) and return a proposed charter to the board. - Provide a clearer budget pathway for sustaining coordinator positions after the grant (options and possible amendments due in April). - Provide regular implementation updates to the board.