Coachella Valley Unified meeting draws residents' pleas as district outlines layoffs, cuts to nurses, library staff and wellness centers

Coachella Valley Unified School District trustees on Feb. 11 heard repeated pleas from parents, nurses, students and staff to preserve nursing positions, wellness centers and instructional media assistant hours as the district moves toward budget-related layoffs in June 2025.

The board met in a packed room where Dale Wiseman, identified as a labor representative for CSA, told trustees the district’s classified staff are bearing disproportionate cuts. “Classified didn’t create any of them. We’re not gonna put 200 people out on the street,” Wiseman said, urging the board to make local decisions rather than defer to Riverside County.

The appeals followed a superintendent’s presentation that said staff layoffs would take effect in June 2025, with notice letters to employees in March. Superintendent Sparks stated the district has identified roughly $22 million in other resources and said the larger multi-year gap to close totals about $60 million across 2025–26 through 2027–28.

Why it matters: trustees must adopt a balanced budget or face state intervention, and speakers said cuts to medical and mental-health staff would directly affect student safety and access to learning. Parents and school nurses described daily responsibilities that they said cannot safely be shifted to unlicensed staff.

Nurses and medically fragile students

Noelle Deanna, introduced as a registered nurse and credentialed school nurse, told the board a district proposal would eliminate seven of nine registered nurses and leave two district RNs to oversee the whole district. “Eliminating district registered nurses will be a huge impact to the health and well-being of our students and our staff,” Deanna said, adding that credentialed school nurses perform legally required duties such as mandated vision and hearing screenings and case-manage medically fragile students.

Parents and students described specific medical risks. Maya Isabella French, introduced as a third-grader and type 1 diabetic, said she is asymptomatic when dangerously low and told trustees, “If I don’t have my nurses, then I could pass out or even die.” Her father and other parents said nurses enabled their children to attend school safely.

Instructional media assistants and libraries

Several library staff and an instructional media technician warned the board that a proposed change from 12-month, eight-hour workdays to 11-month, six-hour schedules would sharply reduce access to library services before and after school and impair inventory, device maintenance and distribution of curriculum materials. Alicia Bayoli, who said she works in the library at Cesar Chavez School, said shortened schedules would leave “no time to do all my stuff” before students arrive.

Wellness centers and mental-health supports

Wellness center staff and students urged the board to keep seven wellness centers open daily. Janelle McDaniel, identified as a wellness center teacher at Desert Mirage High School, summarized usage data and outcomes: she said wellness centers recorded roughly 2,000 visits in the 2023–24 school year and that the school recorded a decline in fights during August–December period compared with prior years. Several students credited the centers with preventing self-harm and helping them stay in school.

Budget context and board response

Trustees repeatedly described a difficult decision facing the board. Trustee Trinidad Arredondo said the board must “come to an agreement that students will be put first” while acknowledging fiscal constraints. Trustee Valerie Garcia said the budget is a reflection of district values and pledged to press staff for alternatives and clearer plans.

Superintendent Sparks (first name shown in meeting materials as “Dr. Sparks”) said the district has been using one-time COVID-era funding that has since expired and outlined steps already taken, including tapping redevelopment and restricted funds and implementing contract reductions. Sparks said staff notifications will go out in March and layoffs would be effective in June 2025.

Votes at a glance

• Closed session: approved expulsion case No. 24/25-6 (motion by Trustee Jesus Gonzales; seconded by Trustee Jocelyn Vargas; motion carried 7-0). • Closed session: approved Jan. 23, 2025 settlement agreement and general release (case no. 202-411-0491) (motion by Trustee Arredondo; seconded by Trustee Vargas; motion carried 7-0). • Agenda: tabled item 7.1 to the next meeting so Trustee Bas could participate (motion carried). • Item 8.1: authorized an amendment to a contract with 0 West Holding LLC (E-Rate Year 26) to include North Shore Elementary (motion carried; student trustee aye). • Item 9.1: authorized piggyback of Omnia contract R-DASH-TC-17-6 (motion carried). • Item 9.2: approved memorandum of understanding with GovDeals (motion carried). • Item 9.3: ratified purchase order with Granger for transportation-related equipment that had been purchased without prior board approval (motion carried). • Item 9.4: authorized purchase order with Access Communications (motion carried). • Item 9.5: adopted Resolution No. 2025-25, annual and five-year reportable fees report for FY 2023–24 (motion carried 5-0). • Item 9.6: issued purchase order to Dave Bang Associates Inc. for replacement playground structures at Las Palmitas Elementary, including a shade cover (motion carried 5-0). • Item 9.7: adopted Resolution No. 2025-26 declaring certain structures exempt from Division of State Architect review (motion carried 5-0). • Item 10.1: approved a provisional internship permit request for a secondary (7th–8th grade) science teacher (motion carried 6-0). • Consent calendar: approved routine consent items (motion carried 6-0).

What the board did not decide tonight

Trustees did not adopt a final budget or formally approve layoffs during the Feb. 11 meeting. Several trustees and the superintendent said further work is needed on the multi-year plan; the board indicated staff would return with follow-up details and alternatives before final votes.

Ending

Speakers filled the public-comment period and several trustees said they would continue to solicit details and alternatives before making irreversible changes. The board returns in two weeks; the superintendent and staff signaled additional budget work and community outreach will continue in the interim.