Yuma Union board adopts 2025–26 budget, handbooks and compensation updates; accepts $80,689 in donations

The Yuma Union High School District governing board on July (date not specified) voted unanimously to adopt the 2025–26 school district budget, approve several district handbooks and personnel compensation updates, accept $80,689.27 in donations, and direct the superintendent to review and realign the district strategic plan.

The board approved the 2025–26 district budget as presented. The motion to adopt the budget was made by Shelley (Board member) and seconded by Carlos (Board member); the motion carried unanimously. The district previously presented a 2024–25 maintenance and operation budget of $115,000,199.88 and reported year-to-date spending of $81,238,202 during an informational update earlier in the meeting.

In a single vote the board also approved the 2025–26 student-parent handbook, the employee handbook, and the coaches handbook. Board members said many of the handbook revisions align policy language with the district’s trust policy. The student-parent handbook will remain a primarily digital resource; board members asked staff to consider providing printed copies on request.

The board approved a revised employee compensation package for 2025–26 that included stipend adjustments for career and technical education roles; presenters said some increases followed consolidation of two positions into a single instructional-leader role. That motion was moved and seconded and carried unanimously.

The governing board accepted donations to district schools and programs totaling $80,689.27. The list read into the record included multiple DonorsChoose classroom donations, Fourth Avenue Gym Athletic Foundation gifts, an Arizona State University gift of $10,000 to support freshman teams at Gila Ridge High School (as listed), the donation of a Daktronics scoreboard for Yuma High School valued at $26,629.28, a McCarthy Building Companies contribution of HVAC-related equipment estimated at $20,000, and a Vida Healthcare donation of lunches for new teacher orientation valued at $9,875. The donations acceptance motion was moved and seconded and carried unanimously.

The board set Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) tuition for 2025–26 at $572.22 per class per semester. District staff said the figure was derived from the state tuition allocation divided across an assumed 12 class-semester increments (six classes per semester). The motion to set the rate passed unanimously.

The board directed the superintendent to review the district strategic plan adopted in 2017, align it with current initiatives (including the district’s instructional framework and Portrait of a Graduate work), repackage the plan with updated visuals and alignment where appropriate, and report back to the board. That motion carried unanimously.

The meeting moved into executive session to discuss the superintendent’s contract and employment matters.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda (items under section 5, with item 66 pulled): adopted (motion by Board chair, second Christie); outcome: approved unanimously. - Donations acceptance (item 6.1): accepted, total $80,689.27 (motion by Christie, second David); outcome: approved unanimously. - Adopt 2025–26 district budget (item 6.2): motion by Shelley, second Carlos; outcome: approved unanimously. - Approve 2025–26 student-parent handbook (item 6.3): motion by Shelley, second Christie; outcome: approved unanimously. - Approve YUHSD employee handbook (item 6.4): motion by Christie, second David; outcome: approved unanimously. - Approve coaches handbook (item 6.5): motion by Carlos, second Christie; outcome: approved unanimously. - Empowerment Scholarship Account tuition rate (item 6.6): set at $572.22 per class per semester (motion by Shelley, second Christie); outcome: approved unanimously. - Revised employee compensation package for 2025–26 (item 6.7): motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved unanimously. - Direction to Superintendent to review and align strategic plan (item 6.8): motion by Shelley, seconded by Christie; outcome: approved unanimously.

Details and context

Board members and district staff repeatedly highlighted student success and staff support while discussing budget and personnel items. Finance staff earlier presented the 2024–25 maintenance and operations budget and capital budget status for informational purposes; the 2024–25 maintenance and operations total was listed as $115,000,199.88, with $81,238,202 spent as of the monthly report. The district reported a capital budget for the year of $17,090,380 and capital expenditures at roughly half that amount.

Board members asked staff to provide printed copies of lengthy documents to board members on request and emphasized alignment of handbooks with the district’s trust policy.

Provenance

Each formal action and the votes above are supported by the meeting transcript. See transcript excerpts for the start and finish of the board’s adoption of consent and action items (topicintro and topicfinish spans included below).