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Community urges Desert Sands to preserve Indio Highs FFA as district says it will "pause" to redesign program
Summary
Hundreds of students, alumni, farmers and elected officials urged the Desert Sands Unified board to keep Indio High Schools agricultural/FFA pathway, while district leaders said they would pause the program to redesign it after years of falling enrollment and pledged to support current students during the transition.
Hundreds of community members, students and agriculture industry representatives pressed the Desert Sands Unified School District board on May 19 to preserve Indio High Schools FFA and ag pathway, arguing the program builds leadership, career skills and a local workforce pipeline.
"For 49 years, the FFA program has given premier leadership skills and hands‑on experience for students who participate," student speaker Robert Sanchez told the board, saying he delivered a petition with 224 student signatures seeking continued course offerings. Several student speakers described FFA as life‑changing and urged the board not to cut pathways they planned to pursue in college and careers.
Industry and community voices echoed those concerns. Chris Pickering, operator of the Riverside County Fairgrounds, described a long partnership that depends on student work and public education about agriculture. County and industry representatives — including the deputy agricultural commissioner reading a letter of support — stressed the programs role in preparing skilled workers for an $840 million regional crop economy.
Board members heard repeated calls for immediate investment rather than elimination. "If we remove programs like FFA, we're not just cutting extracurricular activities; we are removing a foundation that prepares the next generation," one speaker said.
The district responded that it did not intend to terminate the program but would "pause" to redesign it after a sustained decline in student enrollment. A district representative told the board the issue is one of student interest, not funding, and that the district has money for the ag program. The district said it will work with the Riverside County Office of Education and community partners to provide interim supports so currently enrolled students can finish their pathway.
District staff described plans to engage industry partners and update the curriculum to better align with modern agricultural careers and college pathways. "We want your wisdom, we want your expertise, we want to work with you on those programs," the district statement said, adding that officials were investigating supports to allow current students to complete their coursework.
Public commenters urged concrete steps: rehire or recruit additional agriculture teachers, reshape course offerings away from primarily floral design toward ag science and ag business, restore hands‑on facilities use, and launch targeted outreach to enroll more students. Several callers said the program once operated with multiple teachers but has dwindled as positions were not replaced.
What happens next: the board did not take final action on the ag pathway during the meeting. District officials said they would continue working with stakeholders to design a refreshed program model and explore short‑term supports for current students.
Sources: remarks and public comments delivered to the Desert Sands Unified School District Board during the May 19, 2026 meeting. Quotes are taken verbatim from speakers who identified themselves to the board.
