Canutillo ISD approves reorganization to shift support to campuses, administrators say it saves about $110,000

The Canutillo ISD Board of Trustees approved an organizational reorganization intended to shift central-office duties to campus-facing roles, add an executive director for secondary schools and repurpose several positions, with administration saying the plan reduces central-office personnel spending by roughly $110,000.

Superintendent Jose Borrego told trustees the reorganization responds to expanded post-COVID compliance and instructional demands and argued that investing in systems now will avoid higher replacement, audit and legal costs later. "The question today isn't whether we can afford this investment. It's whether we can afford the cost of not making it," Borrego said, adding that the plan repurposes existing FTEs rather than adding a large number of new positions.

Christy Pooley presented the budget forecast that framed the reorganization. She said the district expects a FY26 surplus of about $978,000 and that a previously projected FY27 deficit (roughly $2 million) has been reduced after operational reviews and identified savings to a forecasted surplus of about $210,000; she said the district identified more than $1,000,000 in operational reductions and estimated personnel restructuring would generate savings of about $383,000. "In the end, we are anticipating currently a surplus of a little over $210,000," Pooley said.

Trustees pressed administration for a more detailed chart showing the position-by-position impacts, funding sources and line codes. Several trustees said they wanted to see (a) how many central-office positions existed in 2025 vs. under the proposed plan, (b) the dollar amounts and funding sources for each position and (c) whether any changes required board approval for individual contracts. Administration committed to deliver a detailed spreadsheet breaking down counts, salary totals and funding sources and to bring specific contracts or affected positions back to the board for approval as required.

Board members expressed mixed views: some praised the effort to be "leaner" (Borrego said the district is $110,000 leaner than last year), while others said they were not yet ready to approve all personnel or pay changes until the detailed information was provided. Trustees also asked whether repurposed coordinator duties would leave gaps in subject-area support; administration said executive directors and campus-based resources would absorb those responsibilities and that the changes were designed to increase on-campus coaching for teachers.

A trustee moved to approve the organizational reorganization and updated org chart with the condition staff provide a more detailed position and funding breakdown at the next regular meeting. The motion passed on a roll-call vote (Yes: Barnes; No: Maldonado; Yes: Martinez; Yes: Ortega; No: Rodriguez; Yes: Zuniga/Sunita). Administration said contracts and individual positions that require board approval will be returned to the board for action; implementation timelines for new positions are planned for the next fiscal year.

Trustees asked staff to include line codes and the portion of salaries funded by grants (for example, TIA funds) so the board can see which positions are paid from which sources and how much of the projected savings are recurring. Administration said some cost reductions also come from retirements and separations that will not be refilled.

The board approved the structure to allow recruitment and planning to proceed, with trustees requesting the detailed follow-up materials before any final hires or contract approvals.