Board approves AB 1390 compensation update allowing higher trustee pay

The Riverside Unified School District board approved a resolution on Feb. 12 adopting provisions of Assembly Bill 1390 that raise the allowable monthly compensation for board members in larger districts. Under the change, the statutory maximum cited in staff materials was $3,000 per month; the board approved the resolution to align local policy with the new state guideline.

District staff explained the current monthly compensation limit had previously been $750 with annual increases allowed; because of those annual increases the board was receiving $1,205 per month at the time of the meeting. Trustees discussed the broader intent of AB 1390, saying that higher allowable compensation can make board service accessible to a wider range of people who might otherwise be unable to take on the time commitment required by elected service.

The motion to adopt the resolution carried after a second. The student board member is not eligible for compensation changes; trustees emphasized that adoption of the resolution sets an allowable maximum under state law and that any future change to actual pay would be an additional local decision.