Monrovia school board faces budget cuts, Measure M vendor vote fails; layoffs and grade changes loom

The Monrovia Unified School District board reviewed Measure M implementation, approved several personnel and operational items and heard administrators say ongoing financial pressures will lead to school consolidations and layoffs.

Board members voted down a motion to advance a single project-management contract for Measure M construction work, approving neither finalist by a 2–1 margin; district staff said the failure means the procurement will be brought back for another vote when more board members can attend. Board members approved a tentative agreement with the Monrovia Teachers Association and multiple personnel and facilities items during the long meeting.

District officials and presenters told the board that Measure M bond funds are being allocated across campuses for safety and infrastructure work and that difficult tradeoffs are driving personnel and program decisions. Presenters also described roughly $18,000,000 from the bond directed toward cameras, HVAC and security upgrades; board discussion stressed that capital funds must be prioritized across an aging set of facilities.

The Measure M procurement vote failed 2–1. Presentation materials from Dixon and Associates and TeleQ were reviewed; a motion to move forward with one specified company did not secure a majority, and the district indicated the item will return to a future meeting. John Clem, representing program and construction management, presented the scope and answered board questions about bids and oversight.

Action items the board approved during the meeting included interim personnel appointments and routine facilities items. The board unanimously approved the interim appointment of Sandy Castro as interim food service director and Jonathan Nava as director of maintenance operations and transportation, both recorded as unanimous votes where three board members were present. The board also approved a tentative agreement with the Monrovia Teachers Association and reclassification and salary placement changes for classified positions; those votes were recorded as unanimous. The board approved a notice of completion for roofing work at three schools and voted to repair water-damage to the Monrovia High School library following a flood.

Administrators and commentators told the board that the district’s financial stabilization plan — previously approved in December and reviewed with Los Angeles County in January — requires program consolidations and personnel reductions. District staff said they are preparing seniority lists and enrollment-based staffing scenarios; administrators explained that the March board meeting will include notices to affected employees. Presenters and commentators cautioned that declines in enrollment will reduce positions across teacher, specialist and paraeducator ranks and could affect services tied to individualized education programs.

Board members also read and approved routine resolutions, including recognizing February as Black History Month and National School Counseling Week. A previously negotiated agreement with SJB Management Group was administratively canceled and that cancellation was recorded by the board as approved.

The meeting included a longer presentation on Measure M program options and the limits of capital funds; presenters emphasized the tradeoffs that come with aging infrastructure and with decisions that must be made districtwide rather than campus-by-campus.