Classified employees, teachers and dozens of parents and students told the Santa Rosa City School Board on Oct. 22 that the district must publish clear, line‑item numbers showing how it will close a multimillion‑dollar gap and avoid state receivership.

At the meeting the California School Employees Association (CSEA) local president said members representing roughly 650 classified staff are “living this budget crisis every day” and demanded a transparent “thermometer” showing where $3–5 million needed by March, or $15–18 million by June, would come from. The union representative asked the board to publish savings projections from proposed cuts — including campus closures, merged sites and reduced classified positions — and to audit service contracts before making further layoffs.

Why it matters: Sonoma County Office of Education staff have warned the board the district must close a structural shortfall quickly to avoid a state takeover, a move union speakers and many parents said they fear would end local control.

Board members heard similar concerns from the Santa Rosa Teachers Association (SRTA) president, Catherine Howell, who told trustees the union needs concrete budget figures. “We are not one bit more knowledgeable than we were two weeks ago,” Howell said, asking whether the district faces $10 million, $15 million or $18 million this fiscal year and pressing for written numbers to assess whether recent concessions or proposed cuts will prevent receivership.

Public commenters — including high school students, arts and music teachers and parent groups — urged the board to prioritize classroom jobs and student services over administrative spending. Multiple music teachers described losing classrooms and instruments, being forced to teach in libraries, multipurpose rooms or cafeterias, and warned that elementary music and the K–12 arts pipeline could be damaged if spaces and supplies are cut.

Several speakers blamed central‑office staffing growth for the district’s long‑term fiscal problems, with one commenter saying central office headcount grew from 36 to 44 since 2017 and added roughly $4.8 million to the general fund payroll. Others said federal and one‑time COVID funding had masked structural deficits.

Board response and next steps: Trustees and staff repeatedly acknowledged the public’s demand for more information. Superintendent August said the district expects to post an early “pre‑first interim” projection by Oct. 31 and reiterated that staff want to present thoughtful, verified numbers. Board members asked for clearer budget displays, consistent attachments to agenda items and better explanations when contracts are presented in multiple pieces.

The public comments and union reports framed the rest of the meeting, where trustees later approved several voluntary management concessions and moved forward with other items while stressing continued efforts to assemble detailed financial projections and options for avoiding receivership.

Ending: Speakers at the meeting repeatedly urged immediate, specific action: publish the numbers, show where savings will come from, and prioritize classroom positions. Trustees said staff would return with more detailed financial materials and promised to continue working with labor partners and the Sonoma County Office of Education on short‑ and longer‑term solutions.