Communications chief details $500,000 translation line, tech shifts and 22 FTEs

Luis Morales, chief of communications and community engagement, told the board Jan. 23 that his division made cost‑neutral adjustments and is requesting budget realignments to reflect actual spending for translation/interpretation and new digital tools.

Morales said the interpreting and translation line was adjusted to $500,000 to match the district’s actual use of externally contracted language access services for linguistically diverse families. He said the division also realigned roughly $260,000 from a previously approved survey platform to support a broader suite of tools — website improvements, an AI chatbot, telephonic outreach and project management software — aimed at shortening request turnaround and improving outreach metrics.

Morales described the communications headcount (22 FTEs) as a mix of web specialists, multimedia staff, media relations roles and internal communications. He said some positions support multimedia production (TV channel, web content) and web services; others are focused on strategic media relations. Morales said the division trimmed at least one open vacant media relations position as a cost‑neutral reduction.

He said the Family and Community Partnerships office has seen improvement after moving into communications two years ago and that the division supports more than 35,000 trained volunteers, roughly 114 business partners and 102 parent engagement assistants across 99 schools.

Board members asked for a clearer organizational breakdown of the 22 FTEs and for definitions of contract increases; Morales said he would provide a detailed staffing list and has already identified some eliminations and reclassifications as part of a cost‑neutral plan.

The presentation was part of the Division of Communications and Community Engagement segment of the FY26 operating budget work session.