The elected Governing Board of the Brentwood Union School District, a public TK–8 district in Contra Costa County, California, responsible for setting policy, approving the budget, and overseeing district administration.
District Office (Board Room), 255 Guthrie Ln, Brentwood, CA 94513
Regular meetings: Second Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. (See the district's posted meeting schedule for exact dates and any exceptions; special meetings posted as announced).
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Staff presented the board priority goal update on attendance. Current attendance rate is 95.3%, short of the 95.5% goal but improved from 94% in 2022. Chronic absenteeism has declined from 14.9% to 14.1%, compared to 17% statewide, but the district goal is below 13%. Strategies include site-level family outreach, weekly attendance letters, communication about financial impacts of absences, and the School Attendance Review Board (SARB). The LCAP strategic action planning process is also underway, with Board members Thornhill and Daojensen as representatives. The first committee meeting was scheduled for the following day, with results from staff and parent surveys to be reviewed.
Brentwood Union School District
IXLGoverning Board31d agoFebruary 11, 2026
2026-27 Budget Reductions and Fiscal Solvency
The district presented a $500,000 budget reduction proposal for the 2026-27 school year, required to maintain the state-mandated 3% ending fund balance reserve. Key proposed cuts include eliminating the vacant CNI Coordinator of Educational Programs position, reducing a counselor FTE at Harvest Grove by 0.2, reducing the district receptionist workday by 50 days, eliminating IXL digital math/ELA program ($130,000), pausing general fund stipends and professional development, and fund shifting from restricted to unrestricted sources. Board members expressed significant concern about IXL elimination given teacher reliance on it, particularly at the middle school level. The superintendent noted they are one of the lowest-funded districts in the state and have avoided massive layoffs by finding restricted funding alternatives. The governor's proposed budget would short Proposition 98 minimum funding by $5.6 billion ($8M impact for BUSD). An additional $500,000 in cuts is projected for 2027-28. This was presented as an information item; action deferred to March.
Brentwood Union School District
IMEGoverning Board31d agoFebruary 11, 2026
IME School Construction Completion and Bond Audit
Several related items addressed the completion of the IME school construction project funded by Measure B bonds. The Measure B bond audit received a clean opinion with no findings. The district approved a credit change order returning $354,865.94 to the Measure B fund, reflecting that the project came in over $1 million under the budget allocated when the board added the middle school component. The project received an Engineering News Record educational facility award and a safety award. The board approved the notice of completion, starting the process to release retention funds while maintaining warranty protections and a 10-year owner insurance policy. Board members and superintendent praised the project management by Overa and Company, led by John Navarro, noting the remarkable achievement of having only one change order that was a credit.
Christy White auditing firm presented the 2024-25 annual financial audit. The district received an unmodified (clean) audit opinion, the best possible result. Internal controls had no significant deficiencies or material weaknesses. Federal compliance testing of Title I Part A and Child Nutrition Cluster programs found no issues. One state compliance finding was reported: the instructional materials public hearing notice was posted only 5 days in advance instead of the required 10 calendar days. There was no financial impact from this finding. The corrective action plan has already been implemented.
Brentwood Union School District
BTAGoverning Board31d agoFebruary 11, 2026
Employee Compensation, Health Benefits, and Labor Negotiations
The dominant theme of the meeting's public comment period was an urgent, unified call from all three employee associations (BTA teachers, CSEA classified, and others) for meaningful salary increases and affordable health care benefits. Eight speakers detailed personal financial hardships: teachers unable to afford district health insurance on a single salary, classified staff making as low as $32,900/year, custodians with 20+ years of service working multiple jobs, and food service workers paying ~$1,000/month for health insurance premiums. Speakers noted neighboring districts Antioch, Pittsburgh, and Liberty are offering better compensation. The BTA president stated negotiations had not received a response and demanded direct engagement with the board. Multiple speakers framed the issue as a retention crisis, noting employees are leaving for other districts or private-sector employers like Trader Joe's that offer full benefits.
Board Chair Dudek addressed an unexpected student protest that occurred at the three middle schools. He praised the schools' handling of the situation while noting the district does not train staff in protest behavior. The district received complaints from parents about why students were allowed to leave campus, which Dudek clarified was not a choice — students left on their own and staff cannot use physical force to keep them on campus. Approximately 125 students walked the streets, and staff focused on safety (e.g., preventing students from being hit by cars). Dudek noted these protests appear to be a growing trend and the district will discuss further how to handle them in the future.
Brentwood Union School District
Black History MonthGoverning Board31d agoFebruary 11, 2026
Fourth Annual Black History Month Oratorical
The district celebrated its fourth annual Black History Month Oratorical, which featured 130 students from eight schools performing 24 acts at a sold-out event at Liberty High School. Four student performers presented at the board meeting: Corey Iwoma (7th grader, Adams Middle School) performed an original poem 'Black and Educated'; Rashawn Basu (TK student, Pioneer Elementary) sang 'What a Wonderful World'; Sahil Narula delivered a speech titled 'Progress' about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy; and Jhana performed a song. The tradition originates from West African griots sharing history through storytelling. The committee was also recognized by the Brentwood mayor and city council. Danielle Cotton, district TSA for belonging, and committee chair Anitra Simpson were highlighted for their leadership.
Brentwood Union School District
CalendarGoverning Board58d agoJanuary 14, 2026
Revised 2026–27 calendar and admin job description update
Board approved the revised instructional calendar (3-0). Administration recommended retitling Administrative Assistant to Executive Assistant to the Superintendent without compensation change.
Brentwood Union School District
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