CVUSD board adopts fiscal stabilization plan; community urges preservation of nurses, bilingual specialists and expanded‑learning director

The Coachella Valley Unified School District Board of Education voted to approve a fiscal stabilization plan and related personnel‑reduction resolutions after more than four hours of public comment and a closed‑session personnel action.

Supporters of several district programs told the board the cuts would damage services students depend on. “I’m not just advocating and fighting for jobs but more importantly, I’m fighting for our students’ lives, health and safety,” said Teresa Nickel, a credentialed registered school nurse, describing an on‑campus anaphylactic incident to illustrate the role of nurses in keeping students safe. Bianca Lomely, a bilingual psychologist technician, said the proposed elimination of nine bilingual psychologist technician positions “threaten[s] to disrupt the essential services we provide to students and families across the Coachella Valley Unified School District.”

Nut graf: The board approved the district’s stabilization plan and passed resolutions authorizing certificated and classified reductions; the actions set in motion notices and potential layoffs while labor negotiations and further analysis continue. Speakers at the meeting urged changes to the plan and asked trustees to use negotiation and alternative approaches to preserve positions that directly affect student services, including school nursing, bilingual special‑education support, library/media assistants, behavior and wellness staff, and expanded‑learning staff led by Bea Gonzalez.

Board action and votes: At the meeting the board moved from open session to closed session and, in closed session, directed release of one certificated employee (ID 2025/08/675) and to send the appropriate legal notices. The board later returned to open session and approved the stabilization plan and two resolutions enabling staff reductions. The vote to approve the stabilization plan was recorded as carrying unanimously. When the resolution authorizing certificated reductions (listed as resolution number 2025‑29 in the meeting materials) was called, the student trustee stated a desire to abstain; the motion nevertheless carried. A subsequent resolution regarding classified layoffs (listed in the meeting as resolution number 2025‑30) also carried.

Public comment highlights: Dozens of employees, union representatives and community members addressed the board. Speakers and themes included: - School nurses: Teresa Nickel urged the board to keep more than five nurses and described how nurses and trained staff prevented a worse outcome during a student’s anaphylactic reaction. She said nurses also generated revenue and saved the district money by taking work in‑house, noting “We saved the district $31,170 yearly and more as prices have risen.” - Bilingual psychologist technicians (BPTs): Bianca Lomely described a caseload “average[ing] 250 students spread across 3 to 4 school sites” for each BPT and argued the positions are necessary for legal compliance and family communication for special education IEPs. - Expanded learning (EXLP/ACES): Multiple speakers — including Amaya Muñoz, Anna Seja, Omar Sotelo, Monica Garza Murillo, Jordan Silva and others — urged the board not to demote or reclassify Bea Gonzalez, the director of expanded learning programs. Supporters credited Gonzalez with winning grants and overseeing programs serving thousands of students; one speaker said the department had secured “over a hundred and $48,000,000 for the after school programs” (as presented at the meeting) and that EXLP covered significant summer costs through grant funding. - Classified staff, liaisons and library/media assistants: Leticia Contreras and other IMAs/community liaisons told the board that proposed reductions in hours and months would hinder parent engagement, textbook and iPad distribution, and legally required library services, invoking local references to “California air code 18103” and “Ed Code 18 100” as cited by speakers. - Unions and external observers: Ray Anzaldulla (vice president, CSEA Coachella chapter 109), labor representatives including Dale Wissman and Veronica Duenas, and a visiting CalPERS board member, Kevin Palka, urged the board to consider negotiated alternatives and long‑term effects. CSEA argued the district should use targeted alternatives and negotiation rather than implementing immediate, deep cuts.

Board and superintendent remarks: Superintendent Dr. Esparza described staff reductions as “a difficult decision” made with the “long‑term success of the district and of our students” in mind; she said outside reviewers (FCMAT) had been on site and would return with a report in “6 to 8 weeks” and that the board should and would pursue follow‑up actions based on that analysis. Multiple trustees expressed sympathy and urged the public and unions to use negotiations to find mitigations; several trustees noted the proposals represented a worst‑case scenario and encouraged staff and unions to pursue alternatives.

Votes at a glance: - Closed session: release of certificated employee ID 2025/08/675; board directed superintendent or designate to send legal notices. Roll call “ayes”: Jesus Gonzales; Thomas Tortoise; Bernadette (Trinidad) Redondo; Valerie Garcia; Joey (Joy) Acuna; Jocelyn Vargas; Sylvia Paz. - 7.1: Memorandum of understanding with Tools to Tomorrow (creative club): approved (motion carried). - 7.2: Purchase of site vehicle from Fiesta Ford for La Familia High School: approved (motion carried). - 8.1: Approval of CVUSD fiscal stabilization plan: approved (motion recorded as unanimous). - 9.1: Resolution number 2025‑29 regarding certificated reductions (deviation from strict seniority and tie‑breaking criteria as described): approved (student trustee asked to abstain; motion carried). - 9.2: Resolution regarding classified management and confidential layoffs (listed in the meeting materials as the companion classified layoff resolution, shown in materials as 2025‑30): approved.

What happens next: The district and labor unions were scheduled to meet for negotiations (labor leaders and CSEA representatives said they expected bargaining to continue). Dr. Esparza and outside reviewers (FCMAT) will present additional findings publicly in the coming weeks; trustees said those follow‑ups could alter what is ultimately implemented from the worst‑case plan presented at the meeting.

Ending: The board recessed into closed session after public comment and reconvened to approve the items listed above. Dozens of community speakers urged a different path; trustees and the superintendent repeatedly framed the adopted plan as a baseline that could change through negotiation and additional analysis.