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Teachers and parents urge Newark Unified to spend Prop 28 arts funds before money expires
Summary
Arts teachers, parents and volunteers told the board that roughly $400,000 in Proposition 28 funds remains unspent and warned that more than $100,000 could expire; they urged hiring after-school arts coaches and offered local professionals to fill roles.
Several arts teachers and parent volunteers told the board that Prop 28 funds intended for district visual and performing arts personnel remain largely unspent and risk lapsing.
Grant Ewing, Newark Memorial theater arts teacher, said the theater complex has capacity but only one paid teacher and that the site could hire multiple coaches if funding were released. "We have the funds, we have the people who want the positions," Ewing said during public comment, noting the district has an accumulated Prop 28 balance and approximately $100,000 that could expire this year.
Parent Melissa Robinson and after-school volunteer Cal Garrett reinforced the request, urging the board to use the monies to hire costume makers, lighting and sound technicians, stage managers and other arts coaches to expand after-school programming. Alumni and community professionals (including Lawrence Civarte) offered to mentor students and said paid part-time roles would help retain industry professionals.
Board members and staff said the district is working to allocate Prop 28 funds to sites and that a proposed new district position to coordinate arts/STEAM partnerships is intended to accelerate hiring and community engagement. Trustees asked staff to provide a specific spending timetable and to identify any bureaucratic barriers that are preventing rapid expenditure of available funds.
