Parents, former administrators press Florence Unified to study four‑day week and order external audit
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Summary
Multiple public commenters urged the Florence Unified board to pause further cuts, commission an external financial audit, and study a four‑day school week as a potential cost‑saving and recruitment measure.
Parents and former district officials told the Florence Unified School District governing board on Dec. 9 that the board should pursue greater financial transparency, an outside audit of administrative spending and a formal study of a four‑day school week as it weighs multi‑million dollar cuts.
Janine Candelaria, a former board member and district administrator, urged the board to evaluate a four‑day week, saying surrounding agencies had adopted the model and it could "help with recruitment, retention, cost savings, and the overall morale." She asked the administration to present a comprehensive pros and cons analysis so the community can make a ‘‘sound decision.’’
Former district employee and parent Corey Kathmer asked for clarity on facility repair requests and the district’s contract with third‑party consultant Heinfeld and Roach (transcript spelled variably). Kathmer also asked whether the district had a contingency plan for enrollment declines if families chose to leave over reorganization: “Is there a contingency plan?” he asked.
An identified parent speaker (who provided only a first name, Destiny) said the district’s public records grade and inconsistent access to information were symptomatic of broader leadership and accountability problems. The parent cited figures from the CFO’s December report — urging $3 million in cuts this year and $5–7 million next year — and asked why superintendent compensation packages remained high while cuts were proposed to staff. The parent said superintendent Chris Knudson’s total compensation was “around 263,000” as compared with other districts she named.
Board members repeatedly promised to pursue broader engagement: the board directed staff to assemble a budget steering committee with subcommittees focused on building conditions, a potential four‑day school week and a 7‑12 model study. The administration said it will prepare clearer budget materials and present the community engagement plan at an upcoming meeting.
The public speakers framed their requests as a mix of procedural concerns (requests for documents and audits) and policy proposals (four‑day school week study). Board members did not adopt an external audit during the meeting; staff offered to follow up with commenters and post responses online.