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CVUSD Superintendent discusses multi-million dollar budget shortfall

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The Coachella Valley Unified School District is set to tackle a projected $60 million budget shortfall tonight -- as the school board meets to discuss laying off between 170 and 225 employees across its 23 campuses.

The Coachella Valley Teachers Association-- crying fowl-- saying those cuts will "negatively impact students with the most needs."

Earlier today, I-Team investigator Jeff Stahl met with CVUSD Superintendent Dr. Francis Esparza about the issue.

"Your question is do we have enough staff to support our students, and yes we do," Esparza told Jeff Stahl.

Jeff asked, "And it would meet state legal standards?"

Esparza answered, "Yes." 

Using a dry-erase board, Esparza details the cuts and she insists staffing levels will be adequate for the district's approximately 400 students with medical needs and 504 plans.

"What's being done to mitigate and minimize those concerns?" Jeff asked Esparza.

She answered, "Making sure that we don't reduce enforcement drastically and making sure that we are going to have enough staff to provide all the support our students need." 

The teacher's union says the cuts are unacceptable-- along with more cuts to music and arts, wellness center staff, and all English language support assistants, among others.

"I want the public to know the union needs to fight for their employees. That is their job. At this point we're working with them, meeting with them," Esparaza said.

The district's financial troubles stem from past leadership's use of one-time government COVID payments-- during the pandemic-- to fund permanent jobs that continue today. Also, pay hikes-- based on one-time COVID-payment-- inflated numbers-- pandemic funding levels that no longer exist.

"A lot of these positions that were funded with COVID dollars. They didn't go away. The money went away," said Debi Deal, a Fiscal Consultant. "The district needs to have a plan of fiscal stability and make sure that there's no state takeover." 

CVUSD has been working with a fiscal consultant to right-size staffing but can't specific position cuts as they're still under negotiation with the union.

Esparza says she understands the union's position and is not minimizing the impact of the $60 million dollars in cuts-- nearly 15% of the district's overall budget

"But it is what we need to do for our students to get the education they deserve and move forward."

And Esparza says the cuts are needed to rebuild and secure the district’s future.

The CVUSD Board of Education is set to have a meeting on Thursday evening. We'll have full coverage starting live at 5:00 p.m.

Stay with News Channel 3 for the continuing updates.

Article Topic Follows: Education

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Jeff Stahl

You can watch Jeff every weekday morning on News Channel 3 in the Morning and News Channel 3 at Noon. Learn more about Jeff here.

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