Staff and union warn cuts to library, technology and IMA positions would set back progress and risk compliance

Classified staff, district technicians and union representatives told the Coachella Valley Unified School District board that proposed reductions to instructional media assistants (IMAs), technology technicians and other classified positions would disrupt operations, increase workloads and could jeopardize compliance with state requirements for textbooks and instructional materials.

Randall Dua, vice president of CSEA Coachella Chapter 109, said cuts that would remove "3 techs and 1 assistant" would return the district to staffing levels that had previously produced slower service and heavier workloads. "If we're going to cut those guys, we're going to roll all that progress back," Dua told the board. He urged the board and district management to review quantifiable work‑order data before making staffing decisions.

Several IMAs and library staff described day‑to‑day duties that would be affected. A district library employee identified as Alicia said moving from a 12‑month to a 10‑ or 11‑month work year and reducing daily hours would take about 60 hours per year from the position and could meaningfully reduce student supports. "If you are 10 months and 5 hours, you are a hundred hours. That's a 60 hours difference. That's 60 hours you're gonna take away from the students as well as the teachers," she said.

District curriculum resource technician Billy Franco warned of legal and operational consequences if textbook and instructional‑material ordering and tracking lapse. Franco described work he has done to collect Williams Act compliance data and said inadequate staffing or cuts could trigger legal accountability and funding consequences. "The Williams Act mandates that every California public school provides students with the necessary textbooks and instructional materials for a quality education," Franco said. "When a district fails to comply with this, the consequences are severe."

Franco and other IMAs said many duties already fall to a small number of classified employees who handle ordering, inventories, iPad repairs, event support and library services. "We are one of very few departments that actually do that and have pretty legit data that shows the kind of work that we do," Franco said, describing districtwide procurement and Williams Act work he manages.

Union and staff speakers also highlighted negotiation status and communications about proposed reductions. A CSEA representative told the board there has been no negotiated agreement on layoffs and work‑year changes and that members were receiving conflicting messages from board agendas and district materials. "CSEA has not negotiated anything right now that has to do with the layoff process," the CSEA representative said. The representative urged the board to recognize that items posted on agendas reflecting proposed months or hours reductions were not negotiated terms.

Trustees and the superintendent acknowledged concerns, said negotiations with unions were ongoing, and requested further information. Board members asked staff to provide more detailed data, said they support meeting with affected employees and parents where relevant, and reminded the public that some reductions are tied to the district’s fiscal stabilization plan and to negotiations that could alter outcomes.

No formal layoffs or reductions were approved during the meeting. Board discussion emphasized the difference between a stabilization plan proposal and the outcome of collective‑bargaining talks. Trustees encouraged the district and unions to meet at the bargaining table and to share data that would allow the board to evaluate operational impacts and alternatives before final decisions.

Ending: District leaders and union representatives signaled willingness to continue negotiations and data sharing, and the board asked staff to return with more complete workload, staffing and compliance information prior to taking final personnel actions.