Trustees approve teacher and classified agreements after tense debate on costs and data; temporary borrowing resolution tabled

At its May meeting, the Apple Valley Unified School District board handled several formal personnel and financial actions after hearing reports from union leaders and public comment.

Union remarks and bargaining context: JC Scott, president of California School Employees Association (CSEA) Chapter 828, told the board that classified members had ratified the district’s health-and-welfare package under duress and that “our trust in the district has been deeply shaken” after what he called repeated misinformation at the bargaining table and at board meetings. Karen Sabers, who identified herself as president of the Apple Valley Unified Teachers Association, raised specific questions about the certificated health-and-welfare report and the FTE figure used in savings calculations.

Closed-session readouts and approved agreements: In closed session the board reported unanimous votes to deny two claims (the transcript lists names with variants; the board denied an amended claim and a late-claim application). On motions recorded in the minutes the board approved two labor agreements reported out of closed session: a memorandum of understanding with the Apple Valley Unified Teachers Association dated May 8, 2025 (clarification and correction of step advancement) and a memorandum of agreement with the California School Employees Association Chapter 828 dated May 2, 2025 regarding Article 11 (compensation). Those items were moved and seconded and recorded as approved during the closed-session readout.

Personnel and discipline actions: The board approved several personnel actions, including certificated and classified personnel recommendations and leaves, and voted to approve multiple expulsion cases referenced in the agenda (e.g., EXP 32425; STIP 72425; STIP 82425). Motions were made, seconded and recorded in the minutes with no recorded opposition on the listed votes.

Contract and budget debates: The board approved (roll-call vote 3–2) item 22, a Safe & Civil Schools professional-development contract, after trustees expressed concern about the per-day cost and whether in-house trainers could be used for some new hires. Trustees Anita Tucker and Maria Okara voted no on item 22; the remainder voted yes. On item 26 (certificated health-and-welfare report), staff explained that the savings figure shown ($1,480,979) used a bargaining-unit FTE number of 736.1; union leaders and trustees noted that 631 FTE is the number of certificated employees enrolled in district insurance and asked staff to clarify the calculation, with the district noting one-time reserve and dental-reserve items affected the comparison.

Temporary interfund borrowing tabled: The board considered a standard annual resolution authorizing temporary borrowing between operating funds (funds listed on county forms include fund 01, 11, 12, 13, 14, 25 and 40). Several trustees asked for clearer, itemized fund listing and assurances that this cash-flow tool would not change budget allocations; staff explained that the resolution permits short-term borrowing between funds to cover cash shortfalls (not a budget reallocation) and that borrowed cash is repaid within the fiscal-year rules. Trustees voted to table the temporary-borrowing resolution (item 28) so the agenda can show explicit fund numbers and provide clarity.

Next steps: Trustees requested additional information as follow-up, including a presentation on long-term debt for a future meeting and clarification of interdistrict-transfer data. Trustee Renee Longshore asked staff to pursue governance-handbook updates consistent with CSBA guidance about board access to data and to report back with options for how requests should be handled so they do not unduly divert staff time.

What the board voted on (as stated in meeting readouts): - Denied an amended claim of Maria C. (as read out from closed session) — motion and unanimous vote reported. - Denied application to file a late claim by Sarah S. (as read out from closed session) — motion and unanimous vote reported. - Approved MOU with Apple Valley Unified Teachers Association (dated May 8, 2025) regarding step advancement — approved per closed-session readout. - Approved MOA with CSEA Chapter 828 (dated May 2, 2025) regarding Article 11 compensation — approved per closed-session readout. - Approved expulsions and personnel recommendations as listed on agenda — motions carried. - Approved Safe & Civil Schools professional-development contract (item 22) on a 3–2 roll-call vote (Tucker and Okara recorded as no votes). - Tabled the temporary interfund-borrowing resolution (item 28) to a future meeting so the specific funds can be listed in the agenda.

The board asked staff to provide clearer documentation on FTE figures used in insurance savings calculations and to return with more detailed fund listings for the temporary-borrowing resolution before final approval.