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Budget motion fails while board adopts LCAP, calendar and elects new clerk
Summary
Trustees failed to adopt the district's proposed 2025–26 annual budget at the meeting, citing concerns about a recently added 'Board LCAP priorities' committed fund; trustees approved the LCAP and local indicators, adopted the 2026–27 calendar, accepted a clerk vacancy and elected Trustee Allison Emory as clerk.
The Carlsbad Unified School District Board considered several fiscal and governance items on June 18, including the proposed 2025–26 annual budget, the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), the 2026–27 district calendar and a personnel/governance slate.
Budget action failed: The board discussed a proposed reclassification of an internal reserve — shifting a portion of the basic‑aid stabilization arrangement into a renamed "Board LCAP priorities" committed fund. Finance director Suzanne O'Connell explained the change was intended to create a committed fund aligned to board priorities while maintaining required reserves. After extended trustee questions about timing, restrictions and public notice, a motion to adopt the proposed 2025–26 budget (Exhibit A) failed by roll call, 1–4 (Trustee Rawlings voted yes; the other four voted no). Staff and trustees agreed to schedule a short follow‑up meeting before June 30 to revisit that line item and finalize the budget prior to statutory deadlines.
LCAP and local indicators approved: Following the budget vote, trustees approved the district's updated 2025–26 LCAP and the required local‑indicator self‑reflection on the state dashboard by a 4–1 vote. The LCAP summarizes district goals, actions and expenditures aimed at improving student outcomes; staff reported all five local indicators had been met.
Calendar adoption and personnel: The board adopted the 2026–27 school calendar (5–0), which shifts the school‑year start one week later to ease payroll/benefit impacts for classified employees and moves one district professional‑development day to October to allow teachers to analyze early student data. Trustees also approved personnel actions including an assistant superintendent personnel contract extension and an appointment for the assistant superintendent of business services.
Governance: Trustee Gretchen Verbeth stepped down from the clerk role (she said she would not sign minutes she believed were inaccurate); the board accepted the vacancy, elected Trustee Allison Emory as clerk for the remainder of 2025, and approved a one‑time waiver of board bylaw 9324 to allow the board president to sign minutes in place of the clerk for two recent meetings during the transition.
What to watch next: The board must reconvene (or hold a special meeting) before June 30 to finalize the adopted 2025–26 budget so payroll and statutory filing deadlines are met. Staff said they will return with revised language and public notice if the board chooses to reclassify or rename the stabilization reserve.
