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Vallejo trustees certify budget as 'qualified' amid protests over planned classified layoffs
Summary
Trustees voted 5–0 to certify a qualified 2025–26 second interim budget as the district projects multi‑year deficits and plans staff reductions; dozens of employees and community members urged the board to prioritize classroom supports over discretionary spending.
Vallejo City Unified School District trustees on Tuesday adopted the 2025–26 second interim report and certified the district’s fiscal condition as "qualified," signaling the possibility the district may not meet its financial obligations in this or a subsequent year.
The 5–0 vote followed a presentation from Assistant Superintendent Ruben Fernandez showing a projected unrestricted operating deficit of roughly $11.5 million for 2025–26 and multi‑year deficits that persist into 2027–28. Fernandez said the district’s long‑term shortfall is driven by declining average daily attendance, rising salary and benefit costs, and contributions to restricted programs such as special education. Staff recommended a qualified certification to preserve local control while the district implements a fiscal solvency plan that includes nonessential hiring freezes, school closures already enacted, and planned staffing reductions.
Why it matters: A qualified certification formally warns the…
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