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PYLUSD presents $8.5 million budget‑stabilization plan that targets staffing reductions
Summary
Interim assistant superintendent Joan Velasco outlined an $8.5 million package of reductions focused on personnel and non‑personnel savings; the plan would close vacant positions, eliminate roughly 37 FTE certificated classroom positions and reduce site budgets, projecting reserves to fall toward 13.1% in 2025‑26.
Interim Assistant Superintendent Joan Velasco presented the district’s budget‑stabilization plan at the April 8 board meeting, describing a package of personnel and non‑personnel reductions intended to reduce a portion of a previously identified $11.4 million gap.
Velasco told trustees the district had issued notices for 94 temporary teachers and expected about 30 retirements, creating vacancies that could be used to align staffing. She outlined proposed cuts to certificated support staff (about 47.5 FTE for roughly $2.5 million in savings) and certificated classroom teachers (about 37 FTE across elementary and secondary for over $4 million in savings). On the classified side, the plan would close several vacant positions for about $376,000 in savings, and other administrative restructures would create additional savings.
Velasco summarized non‑personnel reductions including $80,000 saved through revised graduation services contracts, $75,000 in transportation contract savings, and a 4% reduction to unrestricted school and department site budgets, with estimated total non‑personnel savings of about $900,000. Taken together with retiree‑related adjustments already in the budget, Velasco said the net effect would reduce next year’s expenditures by roughly $5 million. The package presented totaled about $8.5 million in reductions toward the earlier target.
On reserves and multi‑year projections, Velasco showed scenarios sensitive to COLA assumptions. Under the current assumptions the district’s unrestricted general fund balance would drop from an estimated $61 million to about $51 million and the reserve percentage to about 13.1% for 2025‑26; she warned that a 1‑percentage‑point COLA swing could materially worsen out‑year deficits.
Trustees asked for specifics and assurances about which services would be preserved. Dr. Young and other administrators explained that some academic‑support duties would be absorbed by classroom teachers, Title I instructional coaches and early‑childhood assistance where appropriate, and that the district would prioritize maintaining TK staffing ratios and essential interventions.
Velasco emphasized the district’s priority to minimize negative impacts on students and staff while restoring fiscal stability. She said USI was not on the chopping block in this round but would return to the board in May for a fuller presentation on that program.
What happens next: The board and staff will continue to refine reductions as the 2025‑26 budget is built; trustees asked staff to monitor assumptions such as COLA changes and to provide updates on any actions that would affect programs or student services.
