27 Jun WCCUSD Has Its Hands Tied as Budget Gets Held Up

“I will not be held hostage anymore,” said West Contra Costa school board member Leslie Reckler, bottom right, of her vote that helped prevent a vote on the next budget. (Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / The CC Pulse)

By Samantha Kennedy

Before Trustees Leslie Reckler and Mister Phillips had all the power, Board President Jamela Smith-Folds asked if the two wished to reconsider. They declined the second chance. Then, everyone lost control. 

Reckler and Phillips voted to reject the 2024-25 Local Control Accountability Plan, a portion of the district’s operating budget that outlines its goals and actions to support student success. Thus, the plan failed with Trustee Otheree Christian abstaining and clerk Demetrio Gonzalez-Hoy absent. 

Because the California Education Code requires an LCAP to be adopted before an annual budget, the rejection meant the West Contra Costa school board could not even consider the 2024-25 budget ahead of the deadline. 

“I don’t know how else to get your attention, and I will not be held hostage anymore,” Reckler said. She had said it more than once at Wednesday night’s meeting, standing firm in her decision, because of longstanding criticisms about transparency, community engagement and how the plan is presented. 

That decision, and any decision involving funds not allocated in an already adopted budget, is now left to the Contra Costa County Office of Education. 

>>>From Our Archives: WCCUSD Faces Tough Calls to Maintain Financial Control<<<

“This in essence ties our hands for everything other than what we are legally obligated to do, which is to pay salaries,” said Kim Moses, interim associate superintendent of business services. “We may need a board meeting —  an emergency board meeting — to operate the district.” 

The move, she says, is unprecedented for WCCUSD, but district staff said they thought it might happen because of previous urgings by members of the District Local Control Accountability Plan Committee to reject the document. 

Lucas Menanix, chair of the DLCAP committee, said fear of losing local control to the Contra Costa County Office of Education has overshadowed the importance of transparency and accountability in the LCAP process.

“Each year, we come here and ask for a process to properly analyze the performance of our programs within the LCAP,” he said, “and each year, the district fails to provide such a process.”

Superintendent Kenneth “Chris” Hurst said previous meetings with the DLCAP Committee had members raise concerns with “wanting to be heard, wanting to be listened to” and “authentic family engagement.” 

>>>Read: Students, Staff Have Different Views on WCCUSD Needs<<<

Because of the night’s decision, board members chose not to consider 2024-25 School Plans for Student Achievement, which outlines how school sites use certain funding like Title I; a $7 million contract for students with disabilities could not be passed; and hiring for two new positions can’t begin. 

Smith-Folds, the only member to vote in favor of the LCAP, acknowledged concerns raised by community members but reminded board members and members of the public that it is “a living document” and can be revised going forward. 

“I voted to turn up the volume on issues in the district,” Smith-Folds wrote on Facebook after being unable to give final comments due to the meeting ending, “and the majority of the school board voted to MUTE you by giving away local control.” 

The Contra Costa County Office of Education is tasked with adopting a budget for the district. It can choose the lowest between the proposed 2024-25 budget that the board would have considered Wednesday and the 2023-24 school year budget or come up with something else entirely. 

The next regularly scheduled West Contra Costa school board meeting is July 17.