CVUSD says 9 employees face layoffs under plan affecting 33 classified workers

THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) The Coachella Valley Unified School District Board of Education is scheduled to consider classified staffing reductions Wednesday afternoon as part of the district’s ongoing fiscal stabilization plan.

The special board meeting is set to begin at 3:30 p.m.

District Superintendent Dr. Frances Esparza told News Channel 3 ahead of the meeting that the proposal involves 33 classified employees not teachers. She said 16 of those employees would be moved back into previous positions, while three others would have their work year reduced.

Esparza said the “real layoff amount” is nine employees out of the 33 positions identified in the proposal.

District agenda documents estimate the proposed reductions would save nearly $4.2 million over three years.

Esparza said district leaders evaluated different options before recommending the reductions, adding the goal was to keep student programs in place while adjusting staffing levels due to declining enrollment.

“For this school year, this is the end of the cuts,” Esparza told News Channel 3, referring to the district’s fiscal stabilization plan for the 2025–26 school year.

She said district staff will continue monitoring state budget developments heading into the 2026–27 school year, including whether cost-of-living adjustment funding remains in place.

Esparza also said CVUSD has been in a fiscal crisis since 2019 and pointed to decisions made during the COVID-era funding period as part of the district’s broader financial challenges.

She added that if layoffs move forward, the district plans to continue supporting affected employees through the summer, including weekly food assistance through community partners.

News Channel 3 will follow Wednesday’s meeting and provide updates on any board action.