Board Approves $2M in Cuts to Librarians, Counselors, and Staff

The Acalanes Union High School District board voted unanimously to slash $2 million in staff and services for the second straight year, eliminating three of four school librarians and increasing counselor caseloads past 350 students — cuts one board member called "cutting into the bone." But a wave of parcel tax activity from three neighboring feeder districts is building momentum for what the board sees as the only real path back.

• $2 million reduction plan passes unanimously, eliminating 9 certificated and 3 classified positions including librarians, counselors, and leadership support
• Three feeder districts — Walnut Creek, Moraga, and Lafayette — all passed June parcel tax resolutions in a single week, teeing up AUHSD's own potential November ballot measure
• Parents and students celebrate 50 years of IDEA with powerful testimony as the district wins one of only 106 state inclusion grants
• District navigates Supreme Court ruling on LGBTQ+ student protections while completing staff trainings at all sites
• Second interim budget certified "positive" but the district's own finance chief says he wouldn't call it positive in plain English

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$2 Million in Cuts: Libraries Dark, Counselors Stretched, Events Scaled Back

The board adopted three layoff resolutions by roll call vote, all 5-0, authorizing the deepest service reductions in the district's recent history — and the second consecutive year of cuts totaling more than $4 million.

The basics: Resolution 25-26-24 authorizes a 9.0 FTE certificated staff reduction. Resolution 25-26-25 establishes seniority tiebreaker criteria for layoff notices. Resolution 25-26-26 cuts three full-time classified positions — the Director of Fiscal Services, an IT/Data Coordinator, and a Mechanic — plus instructional assistant hour reductions. All three passed 5-0 (For: Chen, Kendzierski, Reicher, Chopra, Schweppe; Against: none; Absent: none).

Why it matters: The reductions will reshape daily student life across all four high schools. Site librarians drop from four to one district librarian. Counselor-to-student ratios climb above 350:1. Leadership teachers lose the "climate-and-culture" release periods that fund rallies, dances, and programming for marginalized student groups. The district also eliminated its 25-year-old summer enrichment institute for the first time.

Where things stand: Superintendent Dr. Nickerson broke the $2 million plan into four categories: 12% from supplies, services, and professional development ($230,000); 36% from management positions ($710,000); 6.6% from classified staff ($132,000); and 46% from certificated positions ($928,000). He noted that remaining administrators already work extreme hours: "The other administrators in the organization can roll up their sleeves and most of them already work 60 to 80 hours a week. They can work a few more hours, but this is a reduction in service." (Lightly edited for clarity.)

The library cuts drew the most sustained testimony. AEA President Lori Tewksbury detailed what would disappear: senior research projects, AI literacy training, supervised library access during class and academy periods, and librarian-led instruction across departments. "Kids will not be able to be in the library spaces during instructional time, including academy, because there will not be a certificated staff person present. This is Ed Code," she said.

Associate Superintendent John Walker confirmed the scope of the loss, explaining that librarians' core work happens outside the library itself. "Much of the librarians' work is outside of the library. As they push into classrooms and lead lessons on research, information literacy, they curate collections for special projects that classes are engaged in," he said. That programming, he stated plainly, "will not be able to continue."

Katie Woods, a Los Lomas senior, testified about the specific value of her librarian, Natalie Moore, in enabling senior research projects, AP Lit integration, and database skills she called "one of the skills that is going to lead to the most success" in college. She argued a single district librarian cannot replicate the personalized knowledge a site librarian builds over years.

Counselor cuts also drew concern. Walker described one-on-one student planning time as irreplaceable: "Nothing can replace that personal counseling time, which is just so critical where a student simply needs some time to map it out and to ask those questions that maybe they wouldn't ask in a larger setting."

The other side: Deputy Superintendent Amy McNamara described conversations with leadership teachers forced to weigh what to give up. "This is a loss. My intention is to meet with them to talk about how they do scale back. Do we do fewer rallies, do we do fewer dances?" she said, adding that the cuts further reduce capacity for programming serving marginalized students.

Tewksbury framed the problem as systemic: "Educators can't bear the brunt and cost of programs that so far the community has not been willing to support by passing a parcel tax."

Decisions: Board members expressed anguish but saw no alternative. Board Member Paul Chopra shared a conversation that crystallized the moment: "The person said, 'Oh, you mean you're actually cutting into the bone now?' And that's when it dawned on me — that's exactly what we're doing." He called the 3% reserve requirement "completely ridiculous" for running a top-performing district.

What's next: March 15 is the statutory deadline for preliminary layoff notices to affected employees. Whether any positions are ultimately restored depends on whether the board moves forward with a November parcel tax — and whether voters approve it.

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Feeder Districts Create Parcel Tax Momentum for November

Why it matters: In a single week, the three elementary districts that feed into AUHSD — Walnut Creek, Moraga, and Lafayette — each passed resolutions placing parcel tax measures on the June ballot. If those campaigns succeed, they could prime the same voter base for a high school district parcel tax five months later.

Where things stand: Superintendent Dr. Nickerson reported the rapid-fire activity: "Last week on Monday, Walnut Creek passed a resolution, they are going out for parcel tax in June. On Tuesday, Moraga passed a resolution. And last night Lafayette passed a resolution and they are going out for a parcel tax in June." He said he would reach out to those superintendents and bring resolutions of support to the board.

AAUW representative Karen Feeney, speaking for the organization's 120-plus members, urged the board to consider informational mailers similar to what Lafayette sent residents, calling it "well laid out, easy to read, understandable." She warned that without a parcel tax, cuts will be "bigger and more devastating" each year.

Board Member Wendy Reicher reported pressing State Sen. Tim Grayson on fully funding Prop 98 at a recent town hall. Grayson indicated the Democratic caucus supports full funding but the governor uses it as a bargaining chip.

What's next: The superintendent noted an Aug. 7 deadline for a November parcel tax resolution and indicated he would reach out to board members about summer availability for potential special meetings.

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Parents, Students Champion 50 Years of IDEA as District Wins State Grant

A presentation marking the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act became the meeting's most emotionally powerful segment, as parents from the district's Community Parent Advisory Committee shared personal testimony alongside their children.

Why it matters: About 25% of AUHSD students have a disability supported through an IEP or 504 plan — a quarter of the student body whose experience depends on the quality of special education services.

Where things stand: Samantha Okazaki, Los Lomas CPAC representative and PTSA president, delivered the centerpiece testimony. Her son Raiden, who has a working memory deficit, achieved a 3.76 GPA through IDEA accommodations including note cards on tests, extended time, and alternative testing locations. She quoted Raiden describing his disability as "like trying to read a crumpled piece of paper," then reframed it: "IDEA is not about lowering standards. It is about removing barriers. It is about taking the crumpled paper and smoothing it out enough so a child can show what they know."

Raiden himself spoke briefly, thanking special education staff, librarian Natalie Moore, counselor Sarah Feinberg, and career department head Elizabeth King for helping plan his path after high school.

Dave Keenan read his wife Alicia's statement about their son Simon, the first AUHSD student to pursue the California alternative path to diploma at Miramonte. She praised the district's unified sports program and CPAC collaboration on math pathways and world language access for students with IEPs.

Subhadra Setharam described a customized schedule for her son Vidhu — a freshman who attends the ESC program at Acalanes three days a week and ACIS for academics two days — designed entirely by the special education team. She highlighted how programs like Unified Sports and Aka Buddy build empathy and growth mindset across the student body.

Executive Director of Special Education Lee Gregory announced the district was selected as one of only 106 California grantees for the Supporting Innovative Practices grant, funded by the California Department of Education. "AUHSD is a proud recipient of the Supporting and Innovative Practices Grant, also known as SIP, for the 25-26 school year," he said. The grant provides a dedicated program specialist and resources for co-teaching and inclusive instructional practices. A 15-member work group of general and special education teachers has already begun meeting on inclusive pathways to a diploma.

What's next: The SIP grant resources will be deployed in the 2025-26 school year. The inclusive pathway to diploma work group will continue developing models for co-teaching and broader classroom access for students with disabilities.

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District Navigates LGBTQ+ Protections Amid Supreme Court Ruling

Why it matters: The U.S. Supreme Court's 6-1 Mirabelli v. Olsen decision has created new uncertainty for how California districts may support transgender students, forcing the district to reconcile federal constitutional interpretation with existing state protections.

Where things stand: Deputy Superintendent Amy McNamara reported completing in-person PRISM trainings — the state-required LGBTQ youth awareness program — at all four sites, choosing face-to-face delivery rather than electronic because of the issue's urgency. "We will always remain in compliance with our state and federal laws, but we will not forget, and I think our teachers are very committed to continuing to create safe spaces for our LGBTQ youth who remain significantly at higher risk for suicide ideation and suicide than any other youth," she said, referencing what she called a national climate of anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ legislation.

Superintendent Dr. Nickerson reported the district is working with legal counsel to develop an FAQ so staff understand "what they must do, what they should do, what they can do to support our students" while remaining compliant. He noted a "widely held perception" that state protections are affected by the decision, but emphasized that California's safety laws for students remain in place.

The other side: Lisa Disbrow, chair of Moms for Liberty's Contra Costa County chapter, opened public comment by criticizing the district for allowing students to use chosen names and pronouns without parental consent through gender plans. She referenced the Mirabelli decision going back to the 9th Circuit and argued the district is "vulnerable to lawsuits" for supporting gender transitions without parental notification.

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Summer School Holds Steady With New Curriculum

Associate Superintendent John Walker presented the 2025-26 summer school plan: an 18-day, four-component program at Los Lomas serving 500-600 students. Credit recovery is the largest piece, covering English, math, science, social studies, Spanish, health, and ethnic studies, with students remediating over 1,000 grades. The curriculum shifts from Fuel Ed to UC Scout — an A-G approved, adaptive-paced platform piloted last summer that lets students move faster through mastered material. Geometry for original credit serves 60-90 students accelerating their math sequence. Algebra 1 readiness targets incoming ninth graders using the U-cubed curriculum. English learner support keeps EL students engaged with language development over the break. The program includes counselor support, special education teachers, and meal service. Staff applications went out the day of the meeting.

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Minor Items

• Consent calendar (Items 5.02-5.07) approved 5-0.
• Closed session actions: Board voted 5-0 to approve a $3,800 special education settlement, non-reelect one probationary certificated employee, and release 14 temporary certificated employees plus additional temporary FTE from 15 permanent employees.
• Second interim budget approved 5-0. The deficit improved from $2.3 million to $1.4 million, but the district's excess property tax sits at just $1.8 million. CDO Nick Carpenter was blunt: "I would not, if I was describing it and not using a technical term, I would not call our budget positive." The county's accompanying letter warned the fiscal trajectory is unsustainable.
• Miramonte High School renamed its gymnasium after WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu, a 2016 graduate, with a grand opening event planned.
• Student representatives reported on school dances, spring sports, Black History Month events, and the Sabrina Ionescu gym naming across all campuses.