Antioch Unified board orders plan to close $30 million structural deficit

The Antioch Unified School District board on Jan. 28 directed staff to produce a detailed plan of revenue enhancements and budget reductions to address an estimated $30,000,000 structural deficit.

Superintendent Dr. Williams told trustees the district convened a two-day budget collaborative that brought together more than 100 staff, parents, students and administrators to review fiscal drivers and look for solutions. "The collaborative effort was designed to build a shared understanding of the district's fiscal reality and to engage stakeholders in identifying thoughtful solutions to address our current $30,000,000 structural deficit," she said, and highlighted progress on literacy and safety work alongside the fiscal effort.

During public comment, educator Kenneth Kent criticized workshop logistics and said participants lacked the materials needed to prioritize cuts. "How are we supposed to build a framework for potential cuts to a budget without being shown a budget?" he asked, urging the district to make spending details available so stakeholders can align priorities with the districts values.

The board adopted resolution 25-26-38, which requires staff to identify revenue enhancements and/or budget reductions for 2026-27 and 2027-28 and to include a list of those items in the district's interim reports. Board staff said the measure supplements the adopted 2025-26 budget and seeks to maintain a state-required minimum 3% fund-balance reserve.

Board members emphasized continued community engagement, including input through the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) process and the budget subcommittee. The superintendent said staff will return with timelines and detailed proposals as part of the interim reporting cycle.

Next steps: staff will prepare the required list of proposed revenue enhancements and budget reductions and include an implementation timeline with the districts interim reports as directed by the resolution.