Coronado Unified School District trustees are considering a new program to house board policies as a cost-cutting measure amid major changes in the city’s public education system.
If on March 12 the board votes to pay for a new membership and board policy program, hundreds of current policies would be replaced with approximately 70 policies aligned with current state and federal law.
District staff recommended the board approve a new agreement for the 2026-27 school year. This agreement would include membership, legislative advocacy in Sacramento focused on protecting local property tax revenue, board policy services and governance educational resources for trustees.
The board discussed a new membership and policy program after a presentation highlighting thousands of dollars in potential savings by switching to the Small School Districts’ Association during a special board meeting on March 3.
Kami McElligott, executive assistant to the superintendent and board, told trustees the district would not be transferring every policy it currently has if it decides on the new policy program. She said any current board policies could become governance protocols if the board decides to move forward.
“We’re seeking guidance this evening,” said Superintendent Karl Mueller. “Any direction provided by the governing board tonight would be followed by subsequent action at a future board meeting.”
These considerations come in the months before CUSD becomes a basic aid school district, or locally funded through property taxes, and plans a decrease in its enrollment as early as next year to 2,500 which payment projections are based on.
The board’s discussion supported switching to a new association to help with its process of regularly updating policies. But trustees want further examination of district-specific policies and the new program before a decision is made.
“This is something that we could try on,” said Mueller. “We’re not making a commitment forevermore. We could give this a few-year trial period, see if this is more aligned with our desires for streamlining board policies.”
Association, program cost
The district’s governing board policy manual is available online through the California School Boards Association’s GAMUT site.
The district’s manual lists more than 700 board policies, bylaws, administrative regulations and exhibits.
According to McElligott, CUSD currently pays the state association $18,287 a year. With SSDA, the district would pay $5,200, saving approximately $13,000 annually.
Karen Mix, a director with the Small School Districts’ Association (SSDA), said the association includes school districts with enrollment of 2,500 or less but it also has partners with a 2,500 to 5,000 enrollment range.
According to Mueller, the district’s five-year projections on enrollment could drop to 2,500 if the board decides to change its policy on how it accepts students living outside the district boundaries, down from approximately 2,800 now.
Mix said the association’s program includes approximately 70 policies that are required by state law.
According to Mix, the website would include an artificial intelligence powered chat bot to answer questions.
Board President Renee Cavanaugh highlighted the simplicity of the language.
Trustee Scot Youngblood asked about the hundreds of policies that would not appear in the new program but have been adopted by the district, adding he was fine with it going away.
“At some point … these items were added because there was a problem,” he said.
McElligott said existing policies could be added into governance protocols.
Mueller said CUSD could establish internal practices leaving board policies as solely those required by the state of California.
