Colton Joint Unified board adopts 2025-26 LCAP/budget overview, approves consent items and CFD levies

The Colton Joint Unified School District board on June [date not specified] heard a full Local Control and Accountability Plan presentation and a preview of the district's 2025-26 budget, approved the bulk of its consent calendar and adopted annual special-tax-levy resolutions for four Community Facilities Districts.

Board presenters said the district's LCAP supplemental and concentration funding is projected at $76,100,000 for the coming year and noted $1.2 million in new equity-multiplier funds for three additional schools. Director Murphy told trustees the LCAP includes investments in AVID, CTE pathways, counseling and one-to-one student devices and that most state dashboard indicators showed year-over-year improvement.

"We've increased performance in most areas after one year," Director Murphy said, summarizing work on English learners, chronic absenteeism and graduation-rate efforts and the district's emphasis on counseling and mental-health supports.

Budget staff warned trustees that declining enrollment and attendance (ADA) are reducing LCFF revenue even with a 2.3% cost-of-living adjustment. Budget lead Fromm said lower enrollment produces roughly $3.8 million less LCFF revenue than prior assumptions and that multi-year projections show deficit spending while maintaining a 3% reserve. He recommended continued monitoring of STRS/PERS and enrollment trends.

Board discussion focused on equity and fiscal risk. Board member Bertha Flores praised the LCAP's focus on targeted students and asked about suspension baselines for the African American subgroup and graduation-rate changes; LCAP staff pointed to intensified professional development and local interventions. Board member Frank Ibarra pressed district leaders on the possibility of continuing funding reductions and asked for concrete mitigation strategies to protect student-facing programs.

After the presentations, trustees took action on the agenda. The board moved, on a motion by Thorin Ojeda with a second by Trustee Sandoval, to approve action items 6.1 through 6.83, excluding item 6.2 (the governance handbook) for separate consideration. The motion carried unanimously with a 5-0 voice vote (two members absent).

During the consent discussion trustees flagged rising contract totals with Think Together, the district's after-school and tutoring partner, and asked staff for a follow-up report. Trustee Frank Ibarra and Trustee Thorin Ojeda requested a breakdown showing which Think Together programs serve which schools, how many staff are funded, the source of the funds used (ELOP, ACEs, other grants) and how outcomes are monitored. District staff agreed to return with details.

The board also ran multiple Community Facilities District (CFD) hearings and adopted four resolutions establishing special tax levies for fiscal year 2025-26: Resolution No. 25-110 (CFD 2), Resolution No. 25-111 (CFD 3), Resolution No. 25-112 (CFD 2024-1) and Resolution No. 25-113 (CFD 2024-2). Each resolution passed on voice votes with no opposition recorded.

On matters handled in closed session, the board returned to open session and voted to uphold two expulsion orders for students (numbers recorded in district minutes). The trustees also approved personnel appointments as presented, including appointments for La Quinta Martin as assistant principal (high school, site to be determined) and Celine Workman as elementary principal (site to be determined).

The board set next budget-adoption steps tied to the state calendar: June 15 for the Legislature's budget send date to the governor, June 30 for the governor's signature and the district's adoption of the 2025-26 LCAP and budget at the June 17 board meeting (dates reported by staff).