Benicia Unified superintendent proposes $1.7M in cuts; board approves certificated reductions and delays classified action

Superintendent Calabresi told the Benicia Unified School District board that he is proposing $1,700,000 in cuts as the district faces a statewide reduction in funds and a projected drop in enrollment.

“I’m gonna get on the soapbox a little bit tonight, and you’re frustrated and you should be,” Calabresi said as he explained the proposal, adding that the state moved an estimated $5,600,000,000 away from funding promised under Proposition 98. He said the district is projecting about 189 fewer students next year — a figure that, at roughly $12,000 per pupil, would significantly reduce local revenue.

Board members debated a range of options for meeting the reduction target, including further district-office cuts, changes to job classifications, and use of attrition. After discussion the board adopted Resolution No. 25-26-34 to decrease particular kinds of certificated services; the roll-call vote recorded President Grubbs, Trustee Hirsch, Trustee Musselli and Trustee Manasseh voting yes.

The proposal and vote prompted extended public comment from librarians, classified staff, mental-health clinicians and parents who said the recommended reductions would reduce student access to essential services. “The proposed reduction in hours reduced my work time from 40 to 27.5 hours per week,” said Alexis Harmer, BMS librarian, describing how the change would limit supervised access to books, printers and after-school support.

School psychologists and clinicians warned of impacts to mental-health services. “Our intern program currently provides 13 days per week of direct mental health services across the district,” said Dr. Andrew Potter, who said interns serve roughly 100 students and provide suicide-risk assessment and crisis intervention training. He said cutting psychologist time risks removing services that keep students safe and that data show clinically significant improvements among students served by the program.

Several speakers argued reductions would impair the district’s ability to meet legal obligations under special education law. “Occupational therapy is a required related service under California law and must be provided as written in a student’s IEP,” said Marisol Charifa, the district’s occupational therapist, describing workload beyond direct caseloads (evaluations, IEP meetings, assistive-technology support and travel between sites).

Classified reductions were scheduled as a separate resolution. Trustees and staff discussed legal notification timelines — preliminary notices must be given by March 15, and final notices by mid-May — and rehire/right-of-return processes under the collective bargaining agreement. Trustees expressed concern that some proposed reductions would have outsized impacts on student safety and daily operations, and several asked for more data and alternatives.

As a result, the board voted to pull item 13F (the classified reductions) and return it to the March 5 board meeting with additional information and potential alternatives.

What happens next: the board will reconvene on March 5 to revisit classified staffing proposals with additional documentation requested by trustees. The certificated reductions adopted tonight proceed through the normal HR notification process referenced during the meeting.