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The Livermore school district is set to restore and introduce over $2.7 million worth of programming and staffing to its budget for next school year, including items previously approved for reduction.
The approved package includes the restoration of over three full-time equivalent positions and select stipends, the addition of one FTE as well as the cancellation of furlough days for principals, management and assistant superintendents.
Despite straying from prioritizations established at the time of budget cuts in February, the multi-million dollar package received the unanimous approval of Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District Board of Education at its June 16 meeting.
“I don’t think we can overstate the importance of what this group has accomplished,” Trustee Emily Prusso said during the meeting. “The restorations before us tonight are important, but they are evidence of something even larger. They demonstrate what is possible when people are willing to work together, build trust and keep students at the center of the conversation.”
Leading up to last Tuesday’s meeting, the school board Feb. 24 approved about $14.8 million in ongoing budget adjustments and cuts for the 2026-27 school year. Alongside the approved changes, the board greenlit a list of items with varying priority on their recuperation.Â
Both proposals were created by the budget reduction committee, a group composed of representatives from employee groups and cabinet members with board oversight.
At the top of the list, the recuperation would begin with actions such as reinstating 0.25 FTE athletic trainers at each high school and one FTE executive assistant in academic services.
On the other side of the spectrum, it was considered unlikely to recuperate approximately nine FTE including one FTE director of communication and engagement, one FTE Livermore High vice principal and one FTE human resources specialist.
The approved sequencing was intended as a way of “prioritizing the reinstatement of reductions associated with the greatest impact on student services and district operations,” according to the Feb. 24 meeting agenda.
Last week, a budget workgroup — again composed of representatives from employee groups and management with oversight from the board — met to create the package of proposed restorations and adjustments.
The package includes restoring 0.5 FTE office specialist at Livermore High, one FTE vice principal at LHS, and one FTE custodian. It also boosts athletic trainers at each high school up to 0.75 FTE, the executive assistant position up 1.0 FTE and the administrative secretary at each high school up to 12 months.
The package includes restoring stipends to the Instructional Leadership Team ($147,200) and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports ($29,280.)
New elements of the budget include one FTE resource specialist for student enrollment, board governance training and the adoption of secondary social science curriculum.
Some items have not been restored, according to Acting Superintendent Michelle Pechette.
Differing from the initial priorities was the restoration of the vice principal position at LHS, which leapfrogged from its initial spot at the lowest tier priority.
Also newly prioritized was the retraction of furlough days for Livermore Management Association directors and assistant superintendents.
Canceling two furlough days for principals was initially considered a mid-tier priority, but canceling furloughs was not given any priority for the directors and assistant superintendents.Â
As a whole, dropping the furloughs costs the district $112,375.
“The workgroup evaluated a variety of potential investments and restorations, some of which were directly tied to previously approved reductions and others that represented strategic priorities identified through the budget development process,” said Lori Rice, executive assistant to the superintendent and board.
“The workgroup considered a broad range of needs across the District, including instructional materials, student support services, operational needs, staffing, and organizational capacity,” she added in response to why the priority of the furloughs changed.
As an observer to the workgroup’s process last week, Trustee Christiaan VandenHeuvel said the group performed one of the most collaborative acts he has ever seen.
“I feel like everybody walked out full of hope and equally satisfied and frustrated at the same time,” he said.
As for funding, the district had a surplus of about $500,000 in its unrestricted general fund, according to assistant superintendent of business services Kayla Wasley. The package increased district expenses by about $713,000, she added.
“So we’ll have a small deficit for 2026-27 currently, but that will be eliminated in 2027-28 based on current projections,” Wasley said.
The district maintains solvency and compliance with state reserve requirements, according to the agenda.
Funding for the cancelled furloughs comes from the student support and professional development discretionary block grant, according to the approved package.
Funding for elements of the package also come from the general fund, special education funds and the learning recovery emergency block grant.
