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State of the district: enrollment gains, fiscal stability, staffing pressures and program expansion plans
Summary
San Marino Unified’s executive team reported modest enrollment growth, steady fiscal reserves and Measure M spending, rising demand for TK and dual‑language programs, workforce shortages in math/science/special education, and near‑term program launches including dual enrollment at Huntington Middle and elementary speech & debate funded by Prop 28.
At the June 8 retreat the San Marino Unified executive team presented the district’s state of play: modest annual enrollment gains, a conservative fiscal posture, program expansions and persistent staffing challenges.
Enrollment and revenue: business staff reported the district started the 2025–26 year at about 3,242 students and ended the year at roughly 3,292 — an enrollment uptick that supports ADA‑based revenue. Officials reiterated that about 30% of per‑pupil revenue comes from local sources and that parcel (local) revenues materially underpin current programming; they warned that removing ~$14 million in local resident revenue would significantly alter service levels.
Fiscal and bond activity: staff said the district maintains committed reserves and is using Measure M bond proceeds for early‑impact projects and major reconstructions; bond oversight reports show remaining balances and a cautious approach to a possible second issuance. The district also plans a July 1 payroll system cutover and is using a ClearGov transparency tool to publish budget narratives.
Staffing and special education: administrators described statewide shortages in math, science and special education credentialed staff and noted teacher retirement eligibility will create turnover pressures. The district acknowledged it was identified by the state for "significant disproportionality" in special‑education identification and said about 15% of certain funds will be reserved to address disproportionality; staff committed to returning with disaggregated MTSS and identification data.
Programs and curriculum: the executive team previewed program launches — dual enrollment at Huntington Middle (targeted to 8th graders in the 2026–27 winter term), an elementary speech & debate rollout for grades 4–5 funded by Prop 28, continued Mandarin dual‑language immersion growth and expansion of the Medical Arts Academy with stronger internship pipelines. Administrators also plan to survey students and parents on CTE and pathway interest to guide facilities and staffing decisions.
Technology, AI and assessments: technology staff outlined pilot AI work, cybersecurity monitoring, classroom AV pilots and modest average per‑student daily device use concentrated on learning platforms; the district reported spring assessment gains in several secondary grades and strong usage of on‑demand tutoring (tutor.com). Staff noted the need to refine policies and guardrails for AI and to disaggregate device use by grade for better analysis.
Next steps: staff will return with representative survey data, disaggregated special‑education metrics, and recommended priorities for Measure M spending and program implementation; the board will finalize goals for 2026–27 during continued retreat work.
