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Superintendent and management agree to temporary concessions; trustees approve voluntary reductions
Summary
The board accepted voluntary concessions from the superintendent and classified/certificated management groups intended to provide short‑term cash relief for 2025–26, including a 5.3% reduction tied to the superintendent's package and approximately $336,838 in current‑year savings from scheduled management concessions.
The Santa Rosa City School Board on Oct. 22 accepted voluntary compensation concessions offered by senior administrators and by certificated and classified management groups to help close an immediate cash‑flow gap for 2025–26.
Superintendent August introduced voluntary concessions offered by two administrators — identified in the meeting as Doctor Zants and Doctor Castro — that cover the remainder of the 2025–26 school year and reduce current‑year cash outlays. The administrators agreed to reduce their car stipend by 50%, accrue only ten vacation days instead of 22 this year, take one furlough day in 2025–26 and suspend vacation payout. Board materials and staff stated those concessions represent a roughly 5.3% reduction in total cash compensation for the current year, estimated at $12,403 in aggregate for the two administrators who presented the offer.
Separately, certificated and classified management groups and other unrepresented supervisory/confidential staff presented voluntary, one‑year concessions including two furlough days this year, suspension of vacation payouts and elimination of half‑year car stipends. Staff said the combined, current‑year savings for the groups listed as “confidential, scheduled management and supervisory” total $336,838; staff estimated roughly 100–115 employees are affected by the package, yielding an average current‑year savings on the order of $3,300 per affected employee.
Board action: Trustees moved and seconded acceptance of the administrators’ concessions (motion by Trustee De La Torre; second by Trustee Kirby); roll call showed the motion passed, 6 ayes, with Trustee Jenkins not present for the vote. The scheduled management concessions (motion by Trustee Medina; seconded by Trustee Kirby) also passed on a roll‑call vote with unanimous “aye” votes among members present.
Why it matters: District leaders framed these steps as voluntary, short‑term measures that provide immediate cash relief but do not solve structural deficits. Staff repeatedly noted that these concessions apply to the current fiscal year only and that any changes beyond one year would require board action to amend salary schedules or individual contract terms. Trustees thanked administrators and managers for stepping forward while urging continued work across the board and with bargaining units to address the broader structural shortfall.
Ending: The board accepted the packages as immediate, voluntary steps to reduce near‑term payroll obligations while staff continues to assemble budget projections and pursue longer‑range solutions.
