Alisal Union deputy outlines staffing, funding and program structure for district educational services

Mónica Anzo, Deputy of Educational Services for Alisal Union, told parents at a district meeting that the division oversees ten departments and a wide range of programs from early childhood to special education and expanded learning, and that several staffing and funding challenges remain.

Why it matters: the division manages services used daily by students and families and depends on a mix of state, federal and grant funding. Shortfalls in specialized staff and time-limited grants could affect delivery of services such as speech therapy, special-education supports and expanded-learning activities.

Anzo opened with an overview of structure and responsibilities, saying the division supports curriculum and instruction, professional development, program evaluation, family engagement and compliance with state and federal rules. She described the division as organized into ten departments, each with directors and supporting staff. "La función principal del programa de servicios estudiantiles en el distrito es apoyar el bienestar acade9mico, social, emocional y de salud mental a punto actual de los estudiantes," Anzo said.

Funding and grants: Anzo listed the division's primary funding sources, including state supplemental and concentration funds (often referenced locally as LCAP/CFE), federal Title I'IV programs and Title I Part C for migrant education, state preschool funding, the state lottery, and annual Proposition 28 arts funds. She also noted several grants with fixed terms, including mental-health and school-community grants that are expiring on multi-year cycles. "Esas subvenciones... tienen fecha de vencimiento," she told the meeting.

Early learning and UPK: The division plans to open the Buforn Early Education Center, with five classrooms (two sessions per room), serving both state preschool slots and special-education preschool services. The district is staffing a UPK program manager, Mary Kay Osorio, and said the pre-K site will include both state-funded and special-education seats.

Expanded-learning (after-school) programs: José Fausto, director of expanded programs, and program manager Ange9lica Pulido described a broad expanded-learning program that runs 180 instructional days and is funded to provide an additional roughly 30 days of programming (summer or breaks) under state grant rules. Fausto said the district offers a mix of daily after-school programs and supplemental weekend or short-term programs that are free to participants. He said the district conducts an annual parent survey to guide program offerings and asked parents to fill those surveys when available.

Special education and staffing needs: Anzo said the district provides special-education services to 1,028 students. She listed program scale and staffing: 27 special-education classes, roughly 21 special-education teachers, 13 psychologists, and an array of related-service staff including behavior technicians and speech/language personnel. On speech services she said the district currently has about 12 speech-language therapists but projects a need for 14 positions and has open vacancies; when staff cannot be hired locally the district contracts for virtual services.

Migrant education and other programs: Anzo described the migrant program as highly restricted by federal Title I Part C rules and said it focuses direct services to students and family advocacy. She also reviewed curriculum and instruction supports, literacy specialists, career/technology and innovation efforts, family-engagement centers and community-school coordinators.

Parent engagement and next steps: Anzo and staff invited parents to upcoming DelCAP and school-site meetings and asked families to participate in planned consultations. She gave dates for district-level DelCAP sessions (one morning session and one evening session in March) and said site-level meetings will be scheduled for each school so parents can review budgets and program plans.

No formal board action or votes were recorded during the presentation. Staff answered parental questions about surveys, program staffing and where to get individual IEP information; Anzo repeatedly said individualized questions about a student's IEP or services must be addressed with the student's school or case manager because those records are specific and confidential.

The division reiterated that some services are funded by time-limited grants and that maintaining programs will require successful grant renewals and parent participation in planned surveys and site meetings.