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The Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District Board of Education voted to reduce staffing for the 2025-26 school year by approximately 3.8 full-time equivalents in the process of balancing its budget during last week’s meeting.
Classified employees impacted by the decision include 1.0 FTE executive assistant, 1.0 FTE office specialist, 1.0 FTE senior program assistant and 0.625 FTE instructional specialist/PE specialist — down from 1.3 FTE included in a previously published version of the layoff resolution. As for certificated employees, Del Valle Continuation High School’s culinary arts teacher Natalie Burbach is set for a 0.2 FTE reduction.
These cuts mark a dip from the preliminary reduction of approximately 40 FTE, as approved by the board in February.
Trustees unanimously approved the classified reduction and voted 4-1 in favor of the certificated reduction on Tuesday (May 6). As the sole dissenter, Trustee Craig Bueno expressed concern about some students at Del Valle potentially losing access to the culinary arts program. Though the program is currently facing an under-enrollment problem, Superintendent Torie Gibson said during the meeting.
Both categories of cuts are said to “create savings to assist in balancing the 2025-2026 school year budget”, according to the agenda.
Since the meeting agenda’s publication, the district decreased the number of classified employee layoff notices by two instructional specialist/PE specialists, said Amy Robbins, assistant superintendent of human resources, during the meeting. This was done in coordination with their union, the Livermore chapter of California School Employees Association (CSEA).
The remaining reduction of particular classified services is necessary to meet the district’s “fiscal obligations” and to balance the budget, Robbins said.
Bueno then thanked CSEA leadership for collaborating with the district.
On one side, some integral positions were saved, Bueno said. “I am somewhat embarrassed that we did lose some really good people,” he added.
As for the certificated role, their termination is due to “reductions of particular kinds of service”, Robbins said.
In response, Bueno vouched for Burbach’s value in the district and the value of the culinary arts program at Del Valle.
“She’s an extraordinary individual with a very unique skillset,” Bueno said. “There’s very tangible benefits to this program.”
Operating for over a decade, the program has afforded some students a direct pipeline into gainful employment, Bueno explained.
To Bueno, cutting 0.2 FTE equal to approximately $20,000 to $25,000 is a nominal change in the budget.
“I would hope we can find this money elsewhere,” Bueno said. “I want to see that position held whole because I want to make sure that these kids get every advantage they can.”
Burbach is “truly amazing”, Gibson agreed. The issue is under-enrollment.
When visiting a culinary class recently, Gibson said there were three or four students in attendance, “drastically less than a comprehensive site”. For comparison, classes in the culinary arts program are capped at 14 to 15 students, which is almost half of the maximum for regular classrooms, she explained.
While the goal is to rebuild the program next year and bring Burbach back with a full schedule when possible, the district has maintained her position as whole as it could, according to Gibson.
After the board approved a 0.4 FTE preliminary reduction of her role in February, the district opted to give back one class period.
“Even that’s a gamble,” Gibson said. ”We don’t even know if we can even fill it at 80%, let alone at 100% percent.”
“There’s still plenty of opportunities for students to take the courses,” Board President Emily Prusso added.
As for funds, Gibson said that the cut contributes to a balanced budget.
“It all adds up, Gibson said. “Unfortunately these are the recommendations that we’re making, because otherwise we will go back into a qualified status — maybe not over $20,000 but it adds up.”
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