West Contra Costa interim superintendent warns enrollment decline, absenteeism threaten district budget and staffing

Interim West Contra Costa Unified School District Superintendent Kim Moses told the Richmond City Council on Monday that the district’s enrollment and attendance declines have produced a structural budget shortfall that will require further reductions unless revenues or enrollment recover.

Moses said the district has declined about 9.5% in enrollment since 2018–19 and that Richmond accounts for roughly 43% of the district’s students. “We are focused on preserving the quality of service for students and retaining quality staff,” Moses said. She told council members that the district’s chronic absenteeism and average daily attendance figures directly affect state funding.

The nut graf: West Contra Costa USD receives most of its funding on a per‑pupil, average‑daily‑attendance basis. Moses said the district is using one‑time restricted pandemic and federal grants to maintain many programs, but those sources will not cover recurring…