Board of Education Votes Tonight on Fiscal Plan Amid Community Outcry

The Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education will convene a high-stakes meeting on Thursday at 5 p.m. in the Elbie J. Hickambottom Board Room to vote on a controversial fiscal stabilization plan aimed at closing a projected $30.5 million deficit for the 2026–2027 school year.

The vote marks the culmination of months of tension between district administrators and a mobilized coalition of parents, teachers, and community members who argue the proposed cuts threaten instructional integrity across Pasadena campuses.

The deficit stems from multiple factors, including the expiration of federal COVID-19 relief funds and a sharp decline in student enrollment. According to preliminary data presented to the board, enrollment has dropped to approximately 13,228 students for the 2025–2026 academic year — the steepest year-over-year decline since 2019. Because California ties school funding to average daily attendance, each student loss equates to roughly $14,000 in reduced revenue.

The administration’s Fiscal Stabilization Plan, up for final approval, outlines $25 million in direct expenditure reductions and an additional $5.1 million revenue strategies to meet solvency requirements set by the Los Angeles County Office of Education.

Proposed cuts include layoffs of certificated and classified staff, reductions in arts, athletics, and library services, and operational savings in landscaping and transportation. Reduction-in-force notices would be issued by March 15, 2026.

The plan was developed in consultation with the Superintendent’s Budget Advisory Committee, a body comprised of parents, students, and staff, which spent months reviewing “workstreams” to identify savings. However, the administration’s final recommendations have drawn criticism as disproportionately targeting student-facing services.

By Thursday morning, a petition circulated by parent advocacy groups had gathered over 650 signatures from Pasadena and Altadena residents.

Advocacy groups argue the cuts burden school sites — the “classroom” — while sparing central office overhead and contracted services. The petition explicitly demands a restructuring of the plan to preserve school-site staffing and shift reductions to administrative consolidation.

The county has warned that failure to adopt a credible plan could result in the loss of PUSD’s fiscal independence and a potential state takeover of district finances.

The anticipated turnout of families at tonight’s meeting suggests a charged atmosphere, with public comment expected to focus on the impact of arts and library program cuts.