Central Unified board adopts 2026–27 budget after debate over line‑item transparency and tree funding

The Central Unified Board of Trustees voted June 23 to adopt the district’s 2026–27 Local Control and Accountability Plan and proposed budget after trustees pressed administrators for clearer, more accessible line‑item detail.

Board President Coreo called for the vote after a lengthy discussion in which Trustee Kon and others criticized the budget materials as opaque. "We get this spreadsheet that is made for accountants," Trustee Kon said, arguing trustees and the public need a one‑page or paragraph explanation of major line‑items so they can assess priorities. Kon singled out a plant services line—about $41 million—that trustees said lacks a readily understandable breakdown and that they would like to know whether funds could cover projects such as planting shade trees at bus stops.

Superintendent Dr. Marshall acknowledged the request and explained the district’s accounting software requires manual invoice review for the level of detail Kon asked for, and that producing that work would require staff time or new software. He proposed the finance/facilities subcommittee develop a specific scope for the request and identify feasible reporting changes. "We have the ability [to provide more detail], but in the reporting we provide today, it does not detail that specific information," an administrator said.

Despite the procedural questions, trustees voted to adopt the budget and LCAP. Vice President Sers moved to adopt the 2026–27 proposed budget and — after a second and roll call — the motion carried. The board also adopted the 2026–27 LCAP and federal addendum earlier in the meeting.

Why it matters: The budget sets spending priorities across Central Unified’s schools, including classroom materials, staff, facilities and deferred maintenance. Trustees said improved transparency would make it easier for the public to see whether the district's priorities align with community requests, such as more shade at bus stops and campus grounds.

What’s next: Trustees asked the finance and facilities subcommittee to craft a specific request for how detailed reporting should be produced and returned with a plan — including whether staff should manually reconcile invoices or pursue software changes. Administration said the district can produce more-detailed reports if the board defines the scope and agrees to the staff time needed to prepare them.

Votes and formal actions at a glance: The board adopted the 2026–27 proposed budget (motion by Vice President Sers; second by Trustee Sadu) and the 2026–27 LCAP and federal addendum (motion by Trustee Kirk; second by Vice President Sers). Several other routine and personnel motions carried earlier in the meeting, including approval of certificated and classified personnel reports and denial of claim GHC 0097921.

Context: Trustees and staff said Central Unified has been managing a transition away from one‑time pandemic funding and has completed staffing and contract reviews to reduce expenses; administrators described other revenue recovery strategies such as boosting average daily attendance and improving alternative income form returns. The finance/facilities subcommittee will consider the budget‑transparency request at a future meeting.