Cajon Valley board certifies second interim report, approves multiple agreements amid public concern over raises

The Cajon Valley School District board moved through a series of financial and personnel actions Tuesday, approving the district's second interim certification and ratifying multiple bargaining and employment agreement amendments while members of the public questioned administrator pay increases.

District finance staff presented the second interim report covering the period through Jan. 31, saying revenues rose about $15 million and expenditures about $13 million. The report noted LCFF increases driven by attendance (P1 funded ADA of 93.47%) and an increase in the unduplicated pupil percentage (UPP), recognition of $3.4 million in a ventilation grant and roughly $2 million more in Medi-Cal reimbursement revenue. Staff said the district shows unrestricted deficit spending largely due to spending down carryover and one-time funds; unrestricted deficit spending for the year was described as about $24 million, with total carryover discussed in the $18 million to $22 million range.

After discussion, the board approved a positive certification of the 24-25 second interim report.

The board also considered and approved a series of contract and personnel items: ratification of the tentative agreement with the Cajon Valley Education Association (CVEA), and amendment No. 5 employment agreements for multiple administrators and classified employees that formalized a 1% ongoing increase effective July 1, 2024, with proposed 3% one-time off-schedule payments to be issued around June 2025 in some agreements. Several trustees moved to remove the 3% one-time payment for the superintendent; following discussion and public comment, the motion to remove the superintendent's proposed 3% one-time payment passed by an oral vote of 4-1.

Public commenters urged the board to prioritize classroom staffing and paraeducator pay. Paraeducator Krista Johnson described starting para pay as equivalent to minimum wage and said low pay and benefits prompted her resignation after roughly 10 years at her site. Community member Mary Davis asked the board to re-examine reserves and opportunity costs, noting audit figures she read aloud ("overall revenues were $391,000,006.97, and expenses $350,000,000"). Juan Flores and other speakers urged the board to tie administrator compensation to performance.

Board business also included procurement and services approvals: the board ratified consultant agreements, approved a no-cost interagency agreement with Telecare to make an opt-in Mobile Crisis Response Team available to families when PERT/911 cannot respond, awarded construction bids for site projects (one award passed with a trustee recusal), and authorized architectural and engineering services for an emergency notification system at 10 school sites.

Where speakers cited performance or budget figures not in staff materials, board members and staff responded with clarifications about carryover and timing of evaluations. A trustee requested staff provide a report at a subsequent meeting reviewing paraeducator duties and workload changes since COVID.

The meeting concluded with future-agenda planning and trustee reports; the board adjourned at 8:19 p.m.