PVUSD cuts necessary
The Pajaro Valley Unified School District is finally being forced to face financial reality. Many of the positions now being eliminated were funded by one-time Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds, which expired in February 2024. That temporary COVID money was never meant to support permanent positions, yet the district expanded staffing and programs without any plan to sustain them.
Now that the pandemic funds are gone and enrollment continues to decline—with 450 fewer students this year and a projected loss of 716 more by 2027—the district can no longer afford to operate as if the money will keep flowing. The Santa Cruz County Office of Education warned PVUSD months ago that this financial situation was coming.
The truth is, these cuts are necessary. PVUSD must live within its means, focus on classroom instruction, and stop using one-time funds to fund ongoing expenses. Fiscal responsibility may be difficult, but it’s the only way to restore trust, stability, and accountability in our local schools.
Mike Lelieur
Chairman, Santa Cruz County Republican Party
•••
Letters policy: Letters to the Editor must be
signed with a real name, for publication, and the
sender must also add a phone number or email
address plus city of residence, for identification
purposes only. Letters become the property of
this newspaper, and may be edited for length
and taste. Letter writers should avoid obscenities
and personal attacks, and keep letters to under
300 words. Email: ed****@********an.com.
