Facing years of declining enrollment likely to take a multimillion-dollar bite out of its budget—coupled with federal education cuts and an impending recession—Pajaro Valley Unified School District has taken the first step toward possibly closing some schools.
District officials this week announced the creation of the Sustainable Schools Advisory (SSA), a group of 23 parents, staff and community members described in a press release as “a community-informed effort focused on the long-term strength of our schools.”
The Board of Trustees on Wednesday heard its first report on the group—including a summary of its inaugural meeting Tuesday—but took no action.
No decisions have been made about which schools could face closure. But the issue has surfaced at board meetings, with officials noting many campuses are below capacity and some classrooms sit empty.
PVUSD Chief Business Officer Gerardo Castillo said the SSA will examine demographics, enrollment and transportation as it meets twice a month through November. The group will present its findings and recommendations to the board that month.
Castillo acknowledged it will be a “very difficult process,” noting generations of families have attended neighborhood schools.
“Our schools, for many of us, are like our family,” he said. “That’s where we grew up.”
Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge John Salazar will serve as the advisory’s independent facilitator.
In other PVUSD news, the district will soon form a committee to consider renaming Cesar Chavez Middle School.
Communities across the U.S. have taken similar steps following a March New York Times report in which two women accused Chavez of sexual assault. Civil rights leader Dolores Huerta later said Chavez raped her twice, and that she bore two children from those encounters.
She said she kept quiet for decades to help protect the civil rights movement, with Chavez as its de facto leader.
Castillo said forming the committee will be a “key moment for our district.”
Renaming the school would be “a significant undertaking,” he said, estimating the cost at about $100,000. That includes researching a potential new namesake and replacing signage.
The 11-member committee will include students, staff, teachers and community members, and will be led by the principal.
Trustee Gabe Medina said he supports renaming the school but suggested delaying the process until the district’s financial outlook improves. When that time comes, he said, the honoree should reflect local culture and community.
“I’m hoping we generate local names and highlight those people who had the courage to really organize in our community and, dare I say, stand up to power that abuses its authority,” Medina said.
PVUSD has proposed capping teacher health benefits as part of ongoing contract negotiations, a move expected to draw significant opposition.
Both the district and the Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers announced the proposal Tuesday. The district is offering a 7.77% salary increase over three years and a $36,000 annual contribution toward family health coverage. District spokesman Alejandro Chavez called it a starting point for negotiations.
Teachers say the proposal would shift substantial costs onto employees. Cesar Chavez Middle School teacher Emily Halbig said the raises — about $177 per month in the first year — would not offset higher premiums. District projections show a family PPO plan costing about $47,900 next year, leaving teachers to pay roughly $12,000 annually if the cap is adopted.
“That’s not close to breaking even,” Halbig said.
She said the union expects strong opposition, noting similar benefit caps elsewhere have effectively reduced take-home pay over time. The union is also questioning the district’s financial outlook and seeking updated data.
Halbig said members are unlikely to accept the proposal, raising the possibility of an impasse and state mediation.
“This is the one thing people have told me they would strike over,” she said.
