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Pajaro Valley Unified warns of staff cuts as one-time COVID funds expire; community urges preserving counselors and special-education staff
Summary
District leaders told the board that expiring one-time COVID funds and declining enrollment have created a projected $15M shortfall, and proposed cuts include counselors, behavior technicians, and mental-health clinicians. Staff and families pressed trustees to protect student-facing roles; the board set a December deadline for a final resolution.
Pajaro Valley Unified School District officials told the governing board on Thursday that the district faces a multi‑year fiscal shortfall driven by expiring one‑time COVID relief and a steady drop in enrollment, and recommended staff reductions that would disproportionately affect counselors, behavior technicians and other student‑facing positions.
At a presentation of the district’s fiscal outlook, Assistant Superintendent Kit Bragg and Chief Business Officer Herardo Castillo said the district spent about $127.5 million in one‑time federal and state COVID funds over several years and now must “realign” services as that support sunsets. Bragg said the district is running a structural deficit: “We are in deficit spending and we continue to be in deficit spending,” and recommended a mix of personnel and program changes to reduce ongoing costs and meet state solvency tests.
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