Glendale superintendent warns of enrollment dip, $3.18 million funding shortfall; SFB settlement hearing set for January
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Summary
Superintendent Sigata Jones told the board the district's K–8 enrollment is 8,053 as of week 18 and that the enrollment decrease equates to a $3,181,870 loss in basic funding; she said a four‑day Schools Facilities Board settlement hearing is scheduled in January.
Superintendent Sigata Jones presented a district update at the Dec. 11 Glendale Elementary School District Governing Board meeting, saying Phase 1 of a staffing and facility efficiency review is underway and that demographic recommendations and any school‑closure or consolidation proposals are expected in January 2026.
Sigata Jones reported current K–8 enrollment as 8,053 students (week 18) and told the board the recent enrollment decrease "equates to $3,181,870" in reduced basic‑funding formula revenue. She said the district will review the hundredth‑day enrollment figures in January to determine whether compensation adjustments for the 2026–27 school year are feasible.
On capital planning, Sigata Jones said the district was on the Schools Facilities Board (SFB) agenda and that two SFB board members and counsel were appointed to participate in a settlement hearing scheduled for four days in January; she said the district does not yet know the specific dates. If the district receives approval for replacement schools, Sigata Jones said construction would generally be at least two years out, though SFB staff noted some schools "were going up within a year." The superintendent said this potential funding outcome could affect future closure/consolidation decisions.
She also discussed a completed assessment of vacant properties and market interest, noting a lease‑with‑option‑to‑purchase structure is being considered and that legal review is ongoing. Sigata Jones warned the district faces uncertainty on several grants that contribute to staffing and program supports—including separate literacy funding and a grant for counselors—that could change independently of district control.
The presentation closed with recognition of community support for recent events and programs; the board did not take immediate action on the enrollment or property items at the Dec. 11 meeting.