Oxnard Union High trustees certify qualified budget amid debate over TPP staffing

The Oxnard Union High School District Board of Trustees certified a qualified second interim budget on March 11 and continued to press for options to stabilize programs that rely on volatile federal grants.

Trustees voted to certify the district’s second interim financial report after a presentation from Director of Fiscal Services Anna Campbell and Superintendent Dr. Bernard McCoy outlining multi‑year projections that show declining enrollment, one‑time grant balances winding down and rising operational costs. The action, taken after staff described a budget stabilization plan, was recorded as a 4–0 certification vote.

The meeting turned into a lengthy debate over the fate of the district’s Transition Partnership Program (TPP) and associated WorkAbility staff. Dozens of community members, students and union representatives urged trustees to preserve TPP positions and warned that the program is essential for students with disabilities preparing for employment. Robert Kaden, president of the Oxnard Federation of Teachers and School Employees, told trustees that the district’s stated plan to issue preliminary layoff notices risks destabilizing a program that currently serves more than 300 students and leverages Department of Rehabilitation funding.

Superintendent McCoy and fiscal staff explained why preliminary notices were being prepared. Campbell said the district has been told by the Department of Rehabilitation that funding currently appears in the DOR budget, but the DOR contract contains a budget‑contingency clause that allows the sponsor to terminate funding immediately if federal appropriations change. That contractual clause, staff said, creates the risk that the district could be left to cover program costs at short notice.

“We are between a rock and a hard place,” McCoy said. “A preliminary layoff notice is not a final layoff notice. It preserves our ability to return staff if funding is confirmed.” He and Campbell described the district’s preference for attrition, reassignments and other non‑layoff measures but said county certification requires the district to demonstrate realistic planned reductions in multi‑year projections.

Trustees pressed staff on the dollar figures and the size of the local match the district must carry if federal funding is revoked. Campbell said the TPP program budget is roughly $795,000 for the current year and noted the district contributes a share to meet grant match requirements. Staff explained that establishing an adequate unassigned general fund balance at adopted budget is the mechanism the district would use to protect programs if federal funds were abruptly cut.

Several trustees and union representatives asked whether other federal programs are at risk; staff said federal grant volatility has been a recurring concern and that some federal programs operate on an October–September cycle that can produce uncertainty. Trustees also requested more transparent online material and a budget advisory committee to provide community oversight as stabilization options are developed.

The board’s certification of the second interim budget does not by itself implement layoffs. Staff said preliminary notices are reversible; if the district can identify fallback funds or if the state/federal budget outlook improves, affected employees can be restored before secondary deadlines. Trustees directed staff to return with further details and to post explanatory materials on the district website.

What happens next: staff will present a detailed stabilization plan and a proposed budget advisory committee at the April meeting. Any formal rescindment or final layoff action would follow additional board action and the statutory timelines described by district counsel.

Votes and actions at a glance: the board certified the second interim budget (qualified) and directed staff to continue outreach and analysis; staff issued preliminary procedural notices and will return with options tied to projected revenues and contingency plans.