Martinez Unified hears strong public opposition as board weighs $2.9 million in proposed cuts

Martinez Unified School District trustees on Jan. 26 reviewed a proposed package of roughly $2.9 million in budget reductions that district staff said are needed to meet county reserve targets and respond to declining enrollment and expiring one-time funding.

The proposal, presented by district finance lead Andy Cannon, would pair approximately $1,000,000 in nonstaff reductions with $35,000 in administrative reductions, $511,000 in classified-staff savings and nearly $1.4 million in certificated reductions (about 9.3 full-time equivalents). Cannon told the board the district is aiming to maintain a 3% reserve over a three-year projection and that some one-time sources (including an anti-bias grant and other restricted funds) are expiring.

The spending plan includes a one-time transfer of $400,000 from an OPEB special reserve as a short-term infusion; Cannon described that as a one-time measure and said ongoing reductions of about $2.5 million would likely be required if projected state revenue does not materialize.

Why it matters: dozens of speakers — teachers, counselors, students and parents — urged the trustees to protect student-facing positions. Students described relying on school mental-health staff for crisis support and broader well-being. Multiple speakers said cutting MTSS counselors, college-and-career staff and paraeducators would increase pressures on teachers, reduce timely access to services, and risk compliance with special-education obligations.

"Removing Miss Missy as the mental health counselor of our school will have catastrophic effects on Alhambra High School as a whole," said a student speaker. Parents and former staff also described heavy caseloads and cited the district's rising special-education costs as a reason to avoid reductions that would reduce service capacity.

Board discussion focused on tradeoffs and alternatives. Trustees asked staff for more precise accounting of the $2.9 million package and identified several nonstaff savings to examine, including conference and travel budgets, professional-development contracts and discretionary school budgets. Several trustees proposed exploring a districtwide furlough day for administrators or a modest reduction of administrator work days to share the burden more evenly.

Legal and program constraints also shaped the dialogue. Staff explained that Title I and other restricted funds cannot legally supplant general-fund services; some proposed shifts in funding would therefore be technical reclassifications rather than net savings. Speakers also flagged the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) — a parent warned that cutting secondary special-education teachers could jeopardize the district's ability to meet federally required services.

What happens next: Cannon laid out a timeline calling for board action on the reductions Feb. 9 and, if necessary, a resolution for certificated/classified layoffs on Feb. 23. The board adopted Resolution 2026-11 (a certificated seniority tiebreaker) on Jan. 26 to preserve required timelines and procedures for potential reductions.

The board directed staff to return with updated dollar figures for suggested nonstaff cuts (conferences, PD contracts), estimated savings from possible furlough days, and more precise FTE math so trustees can prioritize which positions to restore if one-time funds become available.