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Board approves certificated and classified reductions in force, adopts mobile-device limits and signs off on routine contracts
Summary
At its May 7 meeting the board approved resolutions to notify affected certificated and classified employees of reductions in force, adopted a mobile-device policy required by AB 3216 to limit phone use during instructional time (effective 2026–27), and approved routine contracts and capital project items; public commenters urged reconsideration of custodial cuts.
The board voted to adopt two resolutions to implement reductions in force for certificated and classified employees and approved a new mobile-device policy that restricts students’ access to phones during instructional time, staff said at the May 7 meeting.
Staff explained the certificated-resolution (2025/2026-31) and classified-resolution (2025/2026-32) are administrative steps to notify persons affected after an earlier identification of positions and a bumping process. "In January the board identified positions for reduction in force that initiated a bumping process," staff said, and the board took action to inform the affected employees. The motions were moved and seconded and the items proceeded to vote; the public record shows trustees verbally recorded their votes as 'I' in favor.
Public comment on the personnel items included Julio Pardo, who urged the district to reconsider recent custodial position eliminations. "Many custodian positions have been eliminated ... when you reduce the number of people you have you just can't get it done. You can't get the bathrooms done," Pardo said, asking that custodial needs be reconsidered if additional state funds become available.
On policy, the board adopted proposed amendments to Board Policy 5131 to add mobile-device limitations required by Assembly Bill 3216. Associate Superintendent Marquez and staff said the policy will limit access during instructional time and that implementation guidance will come in an administrative regulation this fall. Implementation steps described at the meeting include requiring phones to be turned off and stored away (in a uniform storage unit or a backpack kept away from the student if the teacher allows), staff and parent communications, schoolwide lessons, and report-card comments to support behavior expectations. Staff said the rule will apply in the 2026–27 school year, with communications and some implementation steps beginning earlier.
The board also approved standard procurement and facilities items: a professional-services contract over $25,000, use of piggyback contracts for general purchasing, and a one-day emergency closure for Oakrove High School (March 27, 2026) due to a main water-line break. Trustees approved a bond capital project professional-services contract over $50,000 and accepted a revised board meeting calendar, among other consent-calendar items.
From closed session, general counsel reported the board unanimously approved stipulated expulsions for two students (25-26-007 and 25-26-008) and approved an amended resolution (2526-18) to rescind notices of release to three associate-principal certificated administrators.
Votes at a glance: - Resolution 2025/2026-31 (certificated reduction in force): approved (motion made and carried during item 11.01). (Related discussion: SEG 480–SEG 506.) - Resolution 2025/2026-32 (classified reduction in force): approved (motion made and carried during item 11.02). (Related discussion: SEG 523–SEG 619.) - Board Policy 5131 (mobile-device limits required by AB 3216): adopted (second reading accepted; implementation guidance to follow). (Related discussion: SEG 628–SEG 736.) - Professional services contract over $25,000: approved. (Related discussion: SEG 787–SEG 796.) - Use of piggybacks for purchasing: approved. (Related discussion: SEG 797–SEG 804.) - Oakrove High School one-day closure (3/27/2026): approved. (Related discussion: SEG 807–SEG 817.) - Amended resolution 2526-18 (close-session rescind notices to three associate principals): approved in closed session. (Related discussion: SEG 1118–SEG 1124.)
What it means: Staff said the RIF resolutions initiate notification steps but do not by themselves name individual affected employees in the public record; the mobile-device policy will be accompanied by administrative regulations spelling out operational details before and during the 2026–27 school year.
At the meeting, Julio Pardo’s public comment emphasized custodial workloads as an operational concern tied to staffing decisions; the board did not reverse the adopted resolutions at the meeting and directed staff to follow the adopted processes.
Next steps: implementation details for the phone policy will be developed in an administrative regulation this fall; personnel notification and any subsequent appeals or bargaining steps will follow district procedures for reductions in force.
