Pacific Grove Unified board directs staff to prepare staff-recommended budget cuts after students plead to save Community High

Pacific Grove — The Pacific Grove Unified School District Board of Education directed staff to proceed with the budget subcommittee’s staff-recommended reduction package (Option A) as the district works to close a roughly $1.7 million shortfall, while trustees and community members pressed for clearer rationale and protection for student-facing programs such as Pacific Grove Community High School.

Students and community members spoke at length during public comment, describing the Community High program as essential. "I have a 3.9 GPA, and I'm on track to graduate within the next 2 weeks," said Hunter Hopkins, a Community High student who credited teachers Sherry and Mansour with turning his academic performance around. Other students told the board the program provides individualized instruction and social‑emotional supports they do not get elsewhere.

Why it matters: Trustees said the district faces a structural budget deficit that cannot be ignored and cited a Monterey County Office of Education review warning that failure to minimize deficit spending could jeopardize the district’s financial standing. At the same time, several trustees and commenters argued the budget package was presented as a bundled "option A or B" that did not provide sufficient transparency or opportunity for community input on which specific positions to cut.

Board action and next steps: After extended debate, the board president reported that a majority of trustees (three) supported directing staff to develop Option A as the recommended reduction package. Trustees asked staff to return the personnel reductions as separate agenda action items so each position can be considered individually and requested more detail and rationale for why particular positions were identified. Staff was instructed to bring that information back for the board’s March 5 regular meeting and to present additional non–student-facing alternatives where feasible.

What trustees and staff said: Trustee Wax said the district office budget is roughly $2 million compared with about $42 million for site staffing and stressed the district’s limited short‑term revenue options. Trustee Atmar criticized the budget subcommittee process for insufficient transparency and for delivering two bundled options without broader public input; Dr. Adamson replied that the subcommittee was advisory, that materials had been circulated to board members, and that some positions were initially added with one-time COVID emergency funding that has since ended.

Numbers and deadlines: Trustees and staff repeatedly referenced a $1,700,000 projected deficit and the practical calendar constraint that notifications for layoffs must be in place by mid‑March, with action to appear on the March 5 regular meeting agenda before a March 15 notification date for employees.

Community reaction: Students, parents and allied community members called for preserving Community High School staffing and for clearer, more creative revenue and cost‑reduction options. Several speakers urged the board to hold a genuine community forum to gather ideas and to avoid automatically targeting student‑facing roles.

What’s next: Staff will return with Option A presented as discrete personnel action items, additional explanation for each proposed reduction, and a review of district‑office roles and non–student‑facing alternatives. The board will consider those action items at its upcoming meetings; staff and trustees also discussed scheduling an informational forum and possible outside briefings on long‑term revenue options such as a parcel tax.

The special meeting recessed for five minutes and then completed remaining informational items (CSBA policy updates and future agenda planning) before adjourning. The board president noted the next regular meetings are scheduled for Feb. 26 and March 5, 2026.