Unions Critique Superintendent as Pacifica Navigates Funding Shift

Both of Pacifica School District's labor unions delivered pointed criticism of Superintendent Dr. Carissa J. Bowman's leadership at the board's Aug. 19 meeting, citing garbled communications, blocked hiring, and the departure of irreplaceable staff — all while the district prepares for a precarious transition to basic aid funding that could create cash flow problems if property values dip.

• Teachers and classified staff unions both accuse superintendent of communication failures and staffing roadblocks that left classrooms scrambling at the start of the school year

• District shifts to basic aid funding but will maintain a parallel LCFF budget in case property values trigger a costly mid-year reversion

• Parents blindsided after Sunset Ridge and Ocean Shore schools were abruptly separated over the summer with no advance notice; board president acknowledges the move was "corrected"

• Give Forward Foundation grants expand literacy programming through 8th grade and fund a two-year leadership fellowship — all at no cost to the district

• Three key administrators appointed to fill leadership gaps at IBL, Ocean Shore/Sunset Ridge, and the district office

• Parcel tax renewal heading to the ballot will determine whether counselors, libraries, and outdoor education survive

The most striking moments of the evening came not from board votes but from the union podium, where representatives for both the teachers and classified staff delivered unusually direct criticisms of the superintendent's management.