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District agency official says Measure N will fund projects but warns enrollment-driven cuts may be needed
Summary
An agency official for New Haven Unified praised Measure N and said the district will quickly identify projects funded by the measure, while warning that continued enrollment declines through 2030 may force staff reductions unless state funding changes.
An agency official for New Haven Unified said the district will move quickly to identify projects funded by Measure N and begin work early next year, but cautioned that declining enrollment may require staffing reductions.
The official opened the year-end address by thanking staff, families and students for their work and said they had attended multiple parent-teacher and staff meetings to share the district’s new strategic plan. "This year, I'm particularly thankful to work in our district," the official said, and added they were "really looking forward to the new year."
The official announced that the district swore in two new board members, Melanie Freeberg and Pat Irby, and that Michael Gonzalez was reelected to the board. "We swore in 2 new members, Melanie Freeberg and Pat Irby, and we swore in Michael Gonzalez who was reelected to our board," the official said, and added they looked forward to working with the new board in 2025.
On financing, the official pointed to Measure N — passed by the community — as a multi-year resource for school improvements and said the district will "move quickly to identify our projects and start working on them as quickly as we can." The official did not list specific projects, saying only that the start of the year will be used to prioritize work.
The speaker also put the district’s finances in regional context, citing large budget reductions in neighboring districts: "Fremont's cutting $40,000,000. Hayward will be cutting approximately $50,000,000. Newark is cutting several million dollars out of their budget," the official said. They said New Haven Unified has been cautious and does not anticipate making similarly dramatic reductions unless the state requires it.
However, the official warned that continuing declines in enrollment will force adjustments: "We will make reductions, but we'll do so in response to declining enrollment," they said, and noted the district is projected to continue losing students through 2030 and will need to align staffing with enrollment.
The remarks closed with holiday well-wishes and a reminder that staff and families will reconvene in the new year to begin work on Measure N projects.
