Capistrano Unified School District Budget Reductions And Layoffs

Press release from the Capistrano Unified School District:

June 20, 2020

Dear CUSD Families,

The Board of Trustees of the Capistrano Unified School District want to be as open and transparent as possible as we continue to navigate COVID-19 issues. With that in mind, I want to share with you an update on our District’s budget as well as decisions we are facing today.

Earlier this month I informed you that based on the Governor’s proposed budget, our school district would have to cut over $35 million from next year’s budget. We also anticipate that we will need to make additional reductions for at least the following two years. By June 30 we will know more about our 2020-21 Budget, as we anticipate the Governor will approve the state budget by then.

Later today, you will receive the agenda for next Wednesday’s Board of Trustees meeting. The agenda includes the first round of specific actions and reductions we are taking to ensure a balanced budget for our District. These actions include:

1. A reduction in the size of administrative staff, while ensuring our unwavering commitment to student success
2. A recommendation to lay off 88 employees, out of nearly 4,500 within our school district. These initial layoffs will fall exclusively on non-teaching employees

As I have mentioned previously, 88% of our budget goes directly to the dedicated employees who support the education of our young people. We are aware that every termination affects real people and their families. However, state law requires school districts to maintain balanced budgets, making these very difficult decisions often necessary during challenging economic times. If the budget passed by our state government does not require District budget reductions, we will look toward rehiring these employees in positions to support our reopening plan.

Next Wednesday’s Board meeting will also include further discussion about our reopening plan, which you received a copy of last week. It remains our intention to open school as normal as possible on August 18; however, we must comply with the health and safety guidelines that may be in place in August, and adapt our plan accordingly.

Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Kirsten Vital
Superintendent

This press release was produced by the Capistrano Unified School District. The views expressed are the author's own.