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Poway Unified board approves certificated staff reductions after debate over counselor cuts
Summary
Poway Unified approved Resolution 71-2025 to reduce certificated positions amid state budget pressure and declining enrollment; an amendment to spare a Mount Carmel counselor failed and the resolution passed 5–1 after board debate and student testimony.
Poway Unified School District trustees voted to approve Resolution 71-2025 on non‑employment of certificated employees, a measure the district said is driven by reduced state revenue and declining enrollment.
At a public meeting, district staff introduced the resolution as reflecting reductions listed on the agenda and representing roughly "20.6 six" full‑time equivalent positions. Mr. Jimenez told the board that four employees who initially requested hearings had their layoff notices rescinded and that the resolution before trustees was presented for final approval.
Board members discussed the distribution of counselor positions created after the COVID-19 pandemic and whether cuts would fall unevenly on some schools. Mr. Chang urged the board to spare one counselor position at Mount Carmel High School, saying Mount Carmel had not received the post‑pandemic counselor increases that other campuses, such as Del Norte, received. He noted that seniority rules would determine which individual remained: "Even if we were to keep one counselor position for Mount Carmel, Mount Carmel would not be able to keep Miss Garcia," he said while discussing the seniority list.
A student from Mount Carmel, Alexandria Dao, addressed trustees during the item and described classroom, counseling and staffing impacts she and classmates expect if positions are eliminated. "These budget changes...contradict PUSD's mission statement," she told the board, citing examples of staff who support students and concerns about workload and class sizes.
Trustees considered an amendment offered by Mr. Chang to approve the resolution while exempting a single counselor position for Mount Carmel. That amendment failed on a vocal vote (1 in favor, 5 opposed). The board then approved the original resolution; the recorded outcome was five in favor, one opposed.
Board members repeatedly described the decisions as difficult and tied to larger uncertainties over state and federal funding. Trustees said some positions had been created with one‑time COVID recovery funds and were now vulnerable as that money expired. The board scheduled further budget work when more information about state and federal revenue is available.
The board moved on to other agenda items; its next regular meeting was scheduled for May 20.
