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Community pushes back as board reviews draft 2025–26 budget and reserve projections
Summary
Public commenters at the June 3 meeting urged the board to prioritize fiscal transparency, questioned reserve projections and criticized perceived favoritism for selective programs such as USI/OCSCS. Speakers asked for full budget documents online and requested meetings to examine site-level impacts.
At the public hearings on the proposed 2025–26 budget and the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), community members pressed the board for clearer financial transparency and questioned how reserve reductions and program-specific funding decisions were being made.
A resident who reviewed draft budget documents said more than $13 million more in reserves appears to be drawn across two years than the March projection, and asked how the board could responsibly plan if projections swing so widely. "For just two school years, an additional $13,324,713 in reserves will be depleted from what was projected in March," she said.
Other speakers criticized what they described as past spending on selective programs (several referenced USI/OCSCS) and urged consistent, district-wide cuts rather than singling out particular schools or programs. Another commenter called for training for district staff on procurement, audits and ethics after alleging irregularities in earlier projects.
Several public commenters also raised the costs of ongoing investigations and administrative leaves, noting taxpayer cost implications for multiple senior administrative salaries. Speakers asked the board to publish draft budgets online earlier and to allow more practical public review time; they requested a staff-led meeting before the board’s next adoption vote so community members can examine proposed adjustments.
District staff acknowledged the public concerns, said reductions had been identified and encouraged closer review of budget details with finance staff; the board directed staff to provide more detailed FTE and budget information in follow-up briefings. No final budget vote was taken at the June 3 meeting.
