The Coronado Unified School District will revise its 2025-26 budget in order to make $2.1 million in cuts. The amended budget will be presented in June.
During the regular board meeting in May, Deputy Superintendent Donnie Salamanca brought forth a letter from the San Diego County Office of Education, directing the district to make the budget reductions in fiscal year 2026-27 in order to maintain a positive fund balance that meets the state’s 3% reserve requirement.
“School districts face near- and long-term challenges, including, but not limited to, reduced ADA due to higher student absence rates, inflationary pressures, pension rate increases, expiring one-time funds, and declining enrollment,” said Brent Watson, the Office of Education’s executive director, in the April 15 letter. “We encourage the district to remain conservative in budget assumptions, and to develop alternative budget scenarios and cash flow projections to prepare for potential reductions in future funding.”
The district did not say how it will reduce the budget and/or increase revenues.
“We are exploring and keeping all of our options open in order to creatively find budget solutions. Many of those are potential revenue generating options or the alternative of that is reducing expenditures tied to potentially staffing or programmatic cuts,” said Salamanca.
Salamanca said “Business Services Resolution No. 25-05-12” leaves an option open.
Through that resolution, approved by the board during the meeting, the district’s tax exempt obligations could reimburse up to $5 million from school property project expenditures.
Ahead of the board’s approval, Salamanca said the resolution allows CUSD to reimburse past expenditures, up to the last 60 days, no matter when the district moves forward with lease-purchase options of its properties.
According to Salamanca, conferencing with negotiators about financing the district’s lease properties would continue beyond closed session on May 22.
“This provides maximum flexibility to reimburse general fund expenditures,” he said. “If the district and the board decide not to move forward with that financing, this resolution would be irrelevant.”
Meanwhile, the district is inviting community members to a June 25 budget study committee meeting at 3:45 p.m.
In other matters
- Nancy McGreevy was recognized as the Coronado High School and CUSD teacher of the year. The board also recognized Matthew Smith, Coronado Middle School; Gina Mirtallo, Silver Strand Elementary School; Rachel Bevilacqua, Village Elementary School as 2024-2025 certificated staff members of the year.
- The district passed a resolution establishing scholarships for students accepted into the 2025 Council on International Educational Exchange summer study abroad program. This allocates funds for up to 15 students traveling to other countries for immersive educational experiences funded by the Department of Defense Education Activity. Each recipient receives a $1,000 scholarship.
- The board plans a first read of a board policy regarding its “Off Campus Lunch Policy,” which currently permits CHS students, except freshmen, to leave school grounds during lunch period.
The district has two regular board meetings scheduled for June. The next regular board meeting is set for 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 5 at the district office followed by a regular board meeting set for 4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 18 at the district office.
