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Superintendent reviews state budget highlights, TK expansion and new early-literacy requirement
Summary
The superintendent reported on Governor Newsom’s K–12 budget proposal, the district’s transitional kindergarten rollout and a forthcoming mandatory early‑literacy screener.
The superintendent reported on state budget developments, district enrollment and program updates and upcoming events during the board’s meeting.
She summarized Governor Gavin Newsom’s K–12 budget proposal and noted several items relevant to the district: a statewide investment for Prop 98, a lower-than-previously-projected cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2025–26, full funding proposals for transitional kindergarten (TK) at the 10-to-1 ratio and state funding for an early literacy screener that will be mandatory in the fall. The superintendent said the governor had proposed a discretionary block grant and that legislative negotiations will continue before the May revision.
On enrollment and TK: the superintendent said this is the first year TK is available to all children who turn 4 by Sept. 1 and described early results as promising, noting some TK students began the year with literacy skills similar to prior kindergarten cohorts.
On literacy screeners and assessments: the district will be required next school year to adopt one of the state-approved early-literacy screeners for grades K–2. The superintendent said the State Board of Education selected four approved screeners; district education services staff will recommend which one the district will adopt and will bring that recommendation to the board for approval before the school year ends. She described the screener’s focus on alphabetic principles, phonemic awareness, sight-word recognition and fluency.
On grants and programs: the district is accepting spring enrichment grant applications; $15,000 is available districtwide and applications are due Jan. 21. The Future Chefs competition has been expanded to grades 3–8; each school will pick a winner to advance to a district cook-off and potentially to a county-level contest. The superintendent also congratulated Yoni, an assistant principal at Moreland Middle School, on being selected to present at Stanford’s conference on the district’s schoolwide prevention work.
Community partnerships: the superintendent said the district worked with West Valley Community Services to expand its service area and noted a ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for Thursday at 10:30 a.m. in the district parking area. The superintendent encouraged trustees and staff to attend if available.
The superintendent said staff would provide a fuller budget overview at the Feb. 11 board meeting and that district communications would share enrollment and event details with families.
