Newark Unified considers $5.9 million in cuts as parents and teachers protest program changes and Bridgepoint move

Newark Unified School District trustees spent much of a packed meeting on Feb. 4 hearing public objections to proposed budget reductions while staff laid out a plan that would cut or restructure about $5.9 million across vacant positions, contracted services and school‑site staffing.

The presentation from district finance staff and administrators followed an Alameda County Office of Education letter noting a near‑25% enrollment decline over the past decade and warning that the district’s reserves could fall sharply under current projections. Assistant superintendents told the board they currently project a $5.1 million deficit by the end of the fiscal year unless reductions or new revenue are identified.

Teachers, classified staff and parents packed the meeting and urged the board to preserve student programs and front‑line positions. “We have $28 million that could be reallocated to help our students,” Julius Chapman, an RSP teacher and union vice president, told the board, arguing that cuts to special education and recruitment programs would harm students (public comment). Sher Vill, who introduced herself as president of the Newark Teachers Association, said long‑term staffing cuts and reliance on consultants have left classroom staff overworked: “These teachers are the heart of this district,” she said during an early comment.

Administration’s reduction package includes defunding unfilled positions, a proposed reduction in certificated management, attrition and non‑reelection of roughly eight certificated FTEs, classified reorganizations, cuts to contracted services and vendor changes intended to bring certain grant‑funded programs within available funding. Staff said some programs are currently supported by one‑time grant dollars that the governor’s January budget did not include for 2025‑26; administrators warned that the Learning Recovery/Education block grant in particular may leave a $1.6 million shortfall if not renewed.

Board members repeatedly asked staff to re‑check assumptions. Member Hill cited the district’s multi‑year fund balance and asked that staff “re‑scrub” forecasts so the board can understand which committed funds are flexible and which are restricted. Member Thomas asked staff to present scenarios showing the minimum, recommended and more aggressive cuts that would eliminate the structural deficit within three years.

Several public commenters urged the board not to relocate Bridgepoint, the district’s continuation high school, back to the Newark Memorial campus — a change staff said could save operating costs of about $282,000 in utilities and roughly $500,000 in additional operating savings but that would also require moving staff whose salaries have been partially funded by grant dollars. Bridgepoint alumni, current students and families described the small campus as essential to keeping students on track to graduate.

Administration emphasized timing constraints. The board was told that preliminary layoff notices must be prepared in February to meet legal deadlines and that reductions to positions funded by one‑time grants will require either reassigning those duties into the general fund or eliminating services.

The board took several procedural votes during the meeting: it approved moving the Newark Memorial Spotlight presentation earlier in the agenda, voted to table agenda item 10.4 to a later meeting and approved a corrected committed‑fund balance resolution that adjusted the facilities line. Trustees did not take final action on staff‑level reductions at this meeting; staff said a formal resolution with named positions will be returned to the board on Feb. 18 for information and to the March 4 meeting for action to meet March 15 notice requirements.

What’s next: staff will return with more detailed scenarios, a re‑scrubbed multi‑year projection, and a list of specific positions and program impacts. The board signaled it wants more granular, line‑by‑line review and asked that staff highlight which program reductions would trigger notices to permanent employees and which are vendor or contract adjustments.