18 Feb Pittsburg Unified to Vote on Reducing a More Than $25 Million Projected Deficit

(Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / The CC Pulse)

By Samantha Kennedy

The Pittsburg Unified School District is the latest across the Bay Area to consider cutting positions to balance its budget as it deals with expiring one-time funding sources, increasing costs, and a decline in funding because of previous declines in enrollment.

District staff at the Feb. 11 school board meeting suggested that more than a dozen positions be cut or have their funding sources changed over the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years to save around $4.7 million, and that another $14 million in non-personnel changes be made.

“Many districts are in this situation. Many far worse,” Superintendent Janet Schulze said at the meeting.

PUSD’s multiyear projected deficit was $25.3 million back in December, according to the district. Some of the proposed cuts or reductions, which will come back again at the Feb. 25 meeting for a vote, can “confidently” be made through attrition, according to Schulze, and others can use separate funding sources. Some of the changes that are part of the $14 million account for increased funding from the state.

But the projected deficit does not yet include the 2.3% raise or disability insurance from PUSD’s recent tentative agreement with the Pittsburg Education Association, the union representing teachers.

The neighboring school districts of Antioch Unified and Mt. Diablo Unified are considering larger cuts that would affect programs and teachers. AUSD says that around 300 positions could be impacted, saving almost $40 million, according to reduction lists from the district. Mt. Diablo, which represents the unincorporated area of Bay Point and a small part of Pittsburg, is phasing out two of its dual-language programs, in part, because of enrollment declines.

But community members know that any cuts will hurt students.

According to several speakers at the meeting, the proposed cut of one IT position would disrupt operations and student learning.

“This is a high-volume, essential operational work. In this position, if this position is eliminated, the work doesn’t disappear. [These] 600 help desk tickets — 600 instances of students losing education and instruction are shifted to the rest of the team, which will reduce instructional access, longer response times and increased learning disruption,” said Dennis Buenafe, a supervisor in the district’s technology department.

Board members were swayed. One, Heliodoro Moreno, proposed that the district instead make cuts of an equal amount to non-personnel expenses.

“If there is a contract that we’re paying for yearly, I would like to know how much that is,” said Moreno about a potential contract PUSD has for technology repairs. “I would much prefer to cut that contract and not cut a position.”

PUSD is proposing to make cuts, reductions, or change funding sources for three positions through PEA — which the district believes they can make through attrition — five through the California School Employees Association, who represent classified staff, and six management and confidential employees.

In 2024, PUSD said it made $1.2 million in personnel reductions. Another $1.8 million in personnel cuts were made the following year.

The final proposed cuts and reductions presented this month will still leave PUSD with an approximately $6.4 million deficit. That could double in size once school board members agree to the tentative agreement with PEA

“We will still continue to have to do reductions. We’re doing them as thoughtfully and painlessly as we can,” said Schulze.

The board will vote on the final recommended budget cuts at the Feb. 25 meeting, where open session starts at 6:30 p.m. Members can attend the meeting in person at 2000 Railroad Ave. or virtually on Zoom at the district’s link. The passcode is 469412.