Ventura Unified board adopts LCAP and budget, gives staff direction to restore elementary counselor time

The Ventura Unified School District Board of Education on June 22 approved the district

The board voted unanimously, 5 to adopt the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) annual update and the district budget for 2026—27.

Greg, the staff presenter on the LCAP, summarized the document as the third and final year of the current three-year cycle and described five district goals: academic achievement, reducing performance gaps, improving learning environments (including student mental health), family engagement/early literacy, and an equity-multiplier goal focused on graduation.

Trustees spent extended time probing details of the plan and its budget allocations, pressing staff for clearer connections between actions and measurable outcomes. Trustee Sabrina Rodriguez said she wanted to know who would ultimately be liable if the state audit found impermissible uses of Prop 28 funds. "If the state finds that we did not use the funds consistent with the law," Rodriguez asked, "who's liable?"

Dr. Bayless and finance staff responded that the district bears ultimate responsibility and that the district conducts expenditure reports and expects annual fiscal audits to sample program spending for conformity. "If it's found we weren't in compliance," staff said, "we would be required to correct that and return funds as needed."

Counseling and student-support staffing emerged as a central focus. Several therapists and counselors who addressed the board during public comment described high caseloads and program uncertainty. Kelsey Bannon, a Ventura Unified occupational therapist, told trustees: "Our current caseload average is 70 students per therapist," adding that neighboring districts were "not currently exceeding 55" and that the district had lost staff as a result. Marie Tsimurelez said the team of OTs had advocated for a caseload model aligned with the American Occupational Therapy Association.

Following that discussion, trustees asked staff to seek ways to restore elementary counseling positions to their prior full-time-equivalent (FTE) levels without using Prop 28 funding where possible. The board reached consensus to restore counseling FTEs and directed staff to implement the restoration while ensuring compliance with categorical-fund rules. "If there were consensus to the board," staff said, "we would work with everyone involved to do that restoration."

Trustees also reached consensus to restore college- and career-counseling time: a 0.5 FTE increase at two high schools (total 1.0 FTE) to return those positions to full time. Trustee discussion centered on cost: staff estimated the a-g/career-counselor increase at about $150,000 total.

On the budget, finance staff presented updated estimated actuals for 2025—26 and the adopted 2026—27 budget, reporting healthy reserves under current assumptions (around 11.1% in FY26—27) but warning the picture could change if state one-time funds or unduplicated-count assumptions shift. Finance staff noted the district was using conservative assumptions and would not incorporate proposed one-time state allocations or the May revise's proposed special-education base increase until the state budget is finalized.

President James Forsyth closed the discussion by thanking staff; the board adopted both the LCAP update and the adopted budget in unanimous votes and directed staff to follow up with written memos on specific staffing FTE implications and the auditables tied to Prop 28 and categorical funds.

What to watch: staff said they will (1) return with a more digestible communication version of the LCAP for families and staff, (2) provide a board memo quantifying restored FTE and associated costs, and (3) update the budget after the state finalizes the May revise allocations.