Cajon Valley superintendent outlines federal funding risks and urges curriculum review after Supreme Court ruling

Dr. Miyashiro told the Cajon Valley Union School District board that a recent legislative‑action conference in Washington, D.C., highlighted both a temporary withholding of federal education funds and new legal developments with potential local impact. "This is California's estimated losing, which is about 50,000,000 to San Diego, almost 3,000,000 to Cajon Valley in terms of funding that is budgeted for this fiscal year, but has been put on hold," he said, describing slide material shared at the conference.

He described a Supreme Court decision discussed at the conference that, in the majority opinion, suggests school boards may be ordered to notify parents in advance and allow excusal when certain instructional materials or lessons could meaningfully interfere with parents' free‑exercise rights. "The school board should be ordered to notify parents in advance whenever one of the books in question or any other similar book is to be used in any way and to allow them to have their children excused," a board member summarized from the majority opinion while Dr. Miyashiro and counsel explained implications.

Legal counsel Chris Keeler told trustees the ruling appears to focus on situations in which students are a "captive audience" for mandatory curriculum and said that a priority for districts should be a curriculum review to identify any mandatory instruction that could present constitutional issues. "If we're going to prioritize what we approach, the very first thing should be review of curriculum," Keeler said.

Michelle Hayes, who briefed the board on state training requirements and the district’s federal advocacy, said California also has a new Education Code requirement for an hour of LGBTQ+ cultural competency training every two years for certificated staff serving grades 7–12; the district will review the state's PRISM slide materials and coordinate delivery with the risk‑management provider. "It is required, so we'll be working with our staff in order to make sure that they have access to the training, and reviewing all of that material before we push it out to staff," Hayes said.

Trustees and staff also discussed the evolving picture of federal funding. Board members noted press reports that the Office of Management and Budget released about $1.3 billion of previously withheld funds for after‑school programs while other amounts remain on hold; Dr. Miyashiro and Hayes said district staff will continue to press congressional offices for release and for flexibility in Title funding allocation so sites can target needs directly.

Why it matters: The combination of federal funding uncertainty and legal guidance from the Supreme Court could force districts to alter parental‑notification practices, reexamine mandatory curriculum and clarify when library or supplemental materials require advance notice. Board counsel recommended an administrative curriculum review as the first step; trustees asked staff to return with recommended policy or procedural changes as information becomes available.

The board did not adopt new policies at this meeting; discussion continued through the agenda and staff said they would provide follow‑up materials and recommended edits to relevant board policies and administrative regulations.