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Lodi Unified board adopts 2025-26 budget, LCAP and several resolutions; WestEd Title I contract discussed
Summary
Board approved the district's 2025-26 budget, Local Control and Accountability Plan and related ESSA addendum, a preschool-hours reduction resolution, an easement dedication, and several personnel placements. Board members questioned a $1.5 million WestEd contract and asked staff to confirm bidding history.
The Lodi Unified School District board voted to adopt the district's proposed 2025-26 budget, approve its Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) and the Every Student Succeeds Act addendum, and passed multiple resolutions and personnel placements during the meeting.
Budget and fiscal items: District staff presented the proposed fiscal 2025 budget and a multi-year projection, saying the plan certifies a positive cash balance and adequate reserves for 2025-26 and the subsequent two fiscal years. The board approved the budget after discussion; the motion passed with the board recording six ayes and one absence.
LCAP and ESSA: The board approved the LCAP and the ESSA addendum as part of statutorily required annual reporting. The district's coordinator for local priority indicators reviewed the data sources and indicated the information supporting the LCAP is available in the meeting materials.
Resolutions and personnel actions: The board approved Resolution 2025-71 to reduce two preschool teacher positions by 0.5 hour each (one half-hour for two employees, total one hour impacted), with members voting in favor. The board also approved Resolution 2025-61 dedicating a public street easement related to the Pinewood Elementary modernization project. During closed session, the board reported approval of an OAH case (OAH 2025040114), rejection of an anticipated litigation claim (654112), and several personnel placements: Shontay Shortner was appointed college and career program coordinator and Dietre Hill Valdivia, Jennifer Faucet and Amy Marzarski were approved for vice-principal roles effective in the 2025-26 school year.
Contracts/consent items: Public comment questioned a listed $300,000 payment to an attorney for SELPA legal services and a $1,500,000 contract with WestEd on Consent Agenda A. District staff explained the WestEd engagement is intended to support Title I schools by providing assessment assistance, stakeholder voice collection and action-plan development; staff said they would research whether the work went to competitive bid and follow up with the board. Staff characterized WestEd's work as a way to centralize Title I support across sites rather than hire district personnel for temporary or highly variable needs.
Votes and tallies: Multiple votes recorded in the transcript show consistent approval patterns; many motions carried with recorded tallies of 6 ayes and 1 absent. Where roll calls were affected by technical issues, the board used a verbal vote.
Next steps: Staff committed to provide follow-up information on the WestEd contract's procurement history and to email requested details related to budget slides cited by speakers (for example: $32,000,000 in books, $101,000,000 in identified commitments and $34,000,000 in reserves as shown on presentation slides).
