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Oak Grove leaders announce county-ordered fiscal stabilization plan and $5 million reduction target
Summary
Oak Grove School District leaders said a county directive requires a fiscal stabilization plan after declining enrollment left the district with a multimillion-dollar deficit. A new advisory committee will develop recommendations intended to identify about $5 million in reductions across the next two school years.
Nancy Yu, president of the Oak Grove School District Board of Trustees, opened a district video update by asking the community to stay informed as leaders address the district’s budget shortfall.
“It's an honor and a privilege to serve our students, families, and staff,” Yu said, introducing a leadership team update on the district’s finances.
Mark Evans, associate superintendent of business services, told viewers the district has seen a decline in student enrollment that has reduced state funding while fixed costs remain largely unchanged. “That's what we're facing today, a budget deficit that we must solve,” Evans said.
Evans said the Santa Clara County Office of Education on Sept. 15, 2025, directed Oak Grove to prepare a fiscal stabilization plan — a required roadmap to restore balance. He warned that if deficit spending is not reduced, “our district could run out of money by the 2027–2028 school year,” putting programs, services and jobs at risk.
To respond, the district has convened a budget advisory committee that includes parents from each learning community, employee bargaining units, support staff and management. Evans said the committee is developing recommendations intended to identify reductions totaling approximately $5,000,000: about $3,000,000 in the 2026–27 school year and $2,000,000 in 2027–28. He added that those reductions would “inevitably impact programs, services, and staffing.”
The district emphasized it will communicate updates and provide details on a new web page called “budget stabilization updates,” which will include news, frequently asked questions and meeting dates.
Dr. Ivan Chaitas, the district superintendent, closed the video by urging families and staff to engage with the process: “We invite you to stay engaged in this process, ask questions, attend meetings, be part of the conversation.”
Next steps: the budget advisory committee will finalize recommendations and share them with the district and the public in the coming weeks; no formal board actions or votes were announced in the video.
