Greenfield trustees approve interim budget, elect officers and swear in two members; board backs superintendent coaching

The Greenfield Union School District Board of Trustees on Dec. 19 approved the district's first interim budget for 2024-25, re-elected its leadership, and swore in two board members during a meeting that also included public comment about language access and pesticide notification.

The board certified the first interim financial report, which reflected actuals through Oct. 31 and showed a projected ending general-fund balance of about $16,000,007.79, of which roughly $11,650,000 is restricted. The report projects an unrestricted reserve equal to about 6.45% of expenditures. Trustees and staff repeatedly flagged rising special-education costs as a major driver of budget pressure.

The interim report matters because state law requires districts to certify their ability to meet obligations for the current year and the following two years; the board voted to give a positive certification and said staff will return with a second interim update in March.

"When we adopt the budget, things change," Interim Superintendent Christina Cortez said during the presentation of the first interim, explaining that changes reflect updated attendance-driven LCFF calculations, newly filled positions and higher contracted special-education costs charged by the county. Cortez told the board the county's special-education billing increase and…