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Teachers and parents press Natomas Unified on contractor spending as LCAP hearing opens
Summary
Natomas Unified’s board opened a public hearing on the district’s 2026–27 Local Control and Accountability Plan as teachers and community members urged more transparency on contracting and targeted interventions for Black students.
At a June 10 public hearing on the district’s draft 2026–27 Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), Natomas Teachers Association representative Katie Morash told trustees the district relies too heavily on outside contracts for services the district should provide directly.
“My question is why were continuing to pay outside organizations to provide expertise that we should be developing and retaining within our own workforce,” Morash said, adding that “more than $5,000,000 of the special education contracts before you are for staffing positions that the district has struggled to recruit or retain.” Her remarks requested that the board consider investments to recruit and retain in-district special education staff rather than continuing to “rent expertise.”
Several public commenters echoed concerns about accountability and measurable outcomes. Sharon Thurman, speaking for the Sacramento County Education Coalition, said long-term results for African American readers have not improved: “Last year alone, over 2,500 students remained trapped below grade level,” she said, calling for “heightened accountability” and a three‑year accelerated growth target for Black students.
Executive Director Steve Fong presented the LCAP as the link between program and budget, describing five strategic goals and action tables that tie spending to those goals. Fong noted some one‑time carryover funding that inflated current‑year actual expenditures: “It did result in that $14,780,000 actual expenditure, which is larger, by a significant amount than the 12.79, but that is because of those carryover funds,” he said.
Board members asked staff for follow-up on who will deliver some new site‑based services and for more itemization of broad budget categories. Trustees indicated they expect the finalized LCAP to be returned to the board for approval at a later meeting after additional staff follow‑up and public review.
The hearing closed after trustee questions and public comments; the board will consider the final LCAP at an upcoming meeting and then submit it to the Sacramento County Office of Education as required.
