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Teachers and parents urge Twin Rivers to move $226 million from capital reserves back to classrooms
Summary
Multiple public speakers told the Twin Rivers Unified board they should transfer $226,000,000 from a capital reserve (Fund 40) back into the general fund to address more than 100 certificated vacancies and special-education staffing gaps.
Speakers at Tuesday's Twin Rivers Unified School District board meeting pressed trustees to reallocate what they described as repeated transfers out of the general fund into a special reserve for capital projects.
At oral communications, Britney Ward said transfers of unrestricted dollars into Fund 40 totaled $226,000,000 over recent years and asked the board to "move the money back" so it can be used to recruit and retain educators. Ward argued the transfers have left the district with more than 100 certificated vacancies and said the district "chronically failed" to meet the state's 55% classroom-salary threshold.
Julianne Neill, a fourth-grade teacher at FC Joyce, described staffing shortages at her site, saying the school lacks a regular RSP (resource specialist) teacher and that students are receiving a revolving door of substitutes. Neill said required IEP minutes are not being met and called for funds to be reprioritized so special-education services can be delivered consistently.
Sarah Calaveri and Clark Knutson, speaking for TRUE and special-education staff, reiterated concerns that more than $226,000,000 has been redirected to capital projects over five years and said those dollars "have no direct impact on academic achievement" or on retaining and recruiting classroom teachers. Knutson, a speech-language pathologist and TRUE executive board member, said the district has repeatedly applied for waivers rather than meeting the 55% minimum and urged trustees to comply with California law.
Board members did not take immediate action in response to the public comments during the meeting. Trustees asked staff during later agenda items to provide additional budget details and to outline processes for parent and site engagement, and staff said more documentation would be shared offline and at future budget reports.
The public-comment period is a recurring forum for budget and staffing concerns; the board is scheduled to receive its first interim budget report for 2025-26 at the December 9 meeting and auditors will review the 2024-25 unaudited actuals in January.
