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Calexico Unified faces continued budget pressure as board weighs layoffs, temporary rehires
Summary
Trustees heard a detailed budget update showing rising costs and declining enrollment, discussed why some previously laid‑off teachers returned on temporary contracts, and approved the district's adopted budget and estimated actuals.
The Calexico Unified School District board on Tuesday discussed the financial forces that led to layoffs earlier this year and approved the district's estimated actuals and July 1 adopted budget.
Superintendent Himenez and business staff told trustees the district has seen improved year‑end projections but still faces structural pressure: enrollment declines are reducing LCFF funding by an estimated $3.48 million and several cost uncertainties remain, including higher fuel prices and a sharp increase in the district's workers' compensation rate. Finance staff said salary and benefits account for roughly three‑quarters of district expenditures.
Board members pressed staff on the process behind recent layoffs and subsequent rehires. District leaders explained that the board complied with Education Code timelines by issuing layoff notices to meet the March 15 statutory deadline, that some layoffs were upheld after hearings with an administrative law judge, and that California law gives laid‑off certificated employees a 39‑month right of return. That right must be honored for positions the returning employee is credentialed to fill, including some positions that became available because other teachers accepted grant‑funded or temporary assignments. The district said many returning appointments are therefore “temporary contract” hires tied to those circumstances rather than guaranteed permanent assignments.
Trustees and staff said the district used grant‑funded opportunities to bring some educators back without increasing ongoing general‑fund commitments. They also noted the emotional toll on staff who received layoff notices and urged continued attention to transition planning so disruptions to classrooms are minimized.
In formal action, the board unanimously approved the district's estimated actuals for 2025–26 and the adopted budget for 2026–27 after a public hearing. Trustees also approved multiple vendor agreements and routine consent‑agenda items during the meeting.
What happens next: Finance staff said they will continue to monitor enrollment, negotiated COLA amounts, and the state budget as it finalizes, and will return to the board with updates and any recommended staffing adjustments.
