School District Hosts In-Person Town Hall Tonight Focused on Budget Deficit

The Pasadena Unified School District will hold an in-person town hall tonight, Monday, Nov. 10, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Pasadena High School Gymnasium, 2925 East Sierra Madre Boulevard, in Pasadena, to address the projected $30 million to $35 million budget shortfall for the 2026–27 school year.

District officials will discuss fiscal stabilization strategies, answer questions, and share recommendations from the Superintendent’s Budget Advisory Committee (SBAC).

Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Blanco will lead the session alongside Chief Academic Officer Helen Chan Hill, Chief of Human Resources and Acting Chief Business Officer Sergio Canal, and Assistant Superintendent of Wellness and Student Support Julianne Reynoso.

School community members may submit questions for discussion at tonight’s event by using a form online here.

The in-person event follows a virtual town hall held Wednesday, Nov. 5. During that session, Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco and Board President Jennifer Hall-Lee cited declining enrollment, expiring COVID-19 relief funds, and rising costs as key drivers of the deficit. They noted that $18.8 million has already been cut from central office operations, with further reductions likely to affect school sites. Asset management options, including long-term leases, are also under review.

The Board of Education is scheduled to take action on the Fiscal Stabilization Plan at upcoming meetings.

Specific school or program cuts have not yet been identified.

Some parents have questioned whether central office spending is being protected. Officials responded that most of the contracts fund mandated services such as transportation and special education.

Tonight’s town hall offers the public a second opportunity to engage directly with District leadership on the budget crisis.