Capistrano Unified board meeting, Aug 13, 2026

2 h 17 min · 9 public speakers

This board doesn’t post agenda times. Click a board member to jump to where they first speak; we list only members whose voice our check named. Video length 2 h 17 min.

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What happened

What happened at this meeting

Capistrano Unified board adopts resolution on pesticide review and student health 40:54

  • A district staff member presented an overview of the district's integrated pest management program and a temporary 60-day pause on routine pesticide applications for landscape and weed management that began in July. 23:21
  • Speakers at public comment asked the district to make the pause permanent and move to an organic-first approach. 25:22

Until Nov 4, lines where a board member takes a side don't name the member. Why →

Item by item (13)
  1. Opening and agenda adoption 0:16
    • Lisa Davis said staff corrected agenda item 11D1 on the 2026⁠-⁠2027 board meeting schedule so that March 25th reads March 11th. 0:46
    • The board recessed to closed session and reconvened at 6:04 PM, when a newly appointed student board member was introduced. 1:25
    • Lisa Davis announced the motion to adopt the amended agenda carried 4⁠-⁠0⁠-⁠3. 1:14
  2. Closed session report 3:43
    • A staff member reported trustees voted 7⁠-⁠0 to approve staff recommendations on anticipated and existing litigation cases and to reject two government claims. 3:45
    • The staff member reported trustees voted 7⁠-⁠0 to appoint an executive director of fiscal services effective July 7th, 2026, and that labor negotiations were not discussed. 3:45
  3. Public comment on non-agenda items 6:04
    • A staff member said there were 3 requests to speak on non-agenda items, and each speaker was allotted 3 minutes. 6:13
    • One speaker thanked the district groundskeeping crew for trimming vegetation near a school after a brush fire, and another spoke about Islam and multiculturalism. 6:37
    • A speaker asked trustees to take racial sensitivity training this year. 13:00
  4. Resolution on technology use 14:33
    • The superintendent said the resolution calls for focus groups with families, teachers, administrators and students in the fall to inform a screen time policy to be brought back in the winter or early spring. 15:01
    • A speaker at public comment raised concerns about reliance on one-on-one devices for instruction and asked the district to discontinue them for K through 8. 15:57
  5. Integrated pest management review 18:34
    • A district staff member said the district stopped using glyphosate in 2017 and implemented a temporary 60-day pause on routine landscape pesticide applications in July while reviewing products and alternatives. 23:22
    • Speakers at public comment asked the district to make the pause permanent and adopt an organic-first program. 25:22
    • In response to a trustee's question, a staff member said the pause would continue until staff reports back to the board. ~33:30
    • Lisa Davis said the item was information only and there would be no vote. 40:54
  6. Resolution on safer landscape management 40:54
    • One board member said, "I'm in support of a little stronger language personally," and another board member asked whether the board should pause the resolution. 47:42
    • One board member said a resolution is a statement of intent and suggested making small changes and proceeding. 53:00
    • The board voted 7⁠-⁠0 to adopt the resolution amended to add the words or longer to the fifth whereas. 57:02
  7. Resolution on UC STEM admissions 57:14
    • Judy Bullockus said the resolution recommends that universities review readiness for students entering STEM fields, and Gila Jones spoke about the district's move to standards-based grading. 58:46
    • One board member said, "I am very much in support of this." ~1:02:47
    • A staff member said the district provides the SAT during the school day and that the resolution applies only to STEM-based major admissions. 1:03:58
    • Lisa Davis announced the motion carried 7⁠-⁠0. 1:05:12
  8. Community Facilities District special taxes 1:05:29
    • A staff member said the Talega levy represents a 2.84% increase, or roughly $24 on average, and the next levy a 2.36% increase, or $43 per year on average. 1:06:25
    • A staff member described further levy increases of 0.03%, 2.36% and 3.01%, or about $1, $36 and $27 per year. 1:09:21
    • A staff member said missing the deadline would put the district in violation of the bond indentures under the CFDs. 1:14:48
    • Lisa Davis announced that the levy motions carried 7⁠-⁠0. 1:07:14
  9. Unaudited actuals and revised budget 1:15:00
    • A staff member said this is the first year the district projects to be a basic aid district and that the ending fund balance was 9.1%, with projections now reaching 18.5% in '28-'29. 1:15:28
    • The staff member said a Fund 17 savings account would come back at the September 17th board meeting and that about $30 million in one-time block grant funds is not yet budgeted. 1:20:25
    • Gila Jones asked about reserve levels, and a staff member said the typical range for community-funded districts is 20 to 40%. 1:25:16
    • Lisa Davis announced the motion carried 7⁠-⁠0. 1:31:32
  10. Transportation board policies 1:31:32
    • A staff member said the transportation policies needed updating to bring them up to date with the latest Ed Code. 1:31:57
    • Both motions to waive the second reading and adopt the policies carried 7⁠-⁠0. 1:32:26
  11. Consent calendar 1:33:06
    • No trustees pulled consent items. ~1:33:20
    • Lisa Davis announced the motion to approve the consent calendar carried 7⁠-⁠0. 1:33:52
  12. Superintendent and board comments 1:33:52
    • The superintendent welcomed two new cabinet members and said school starts Tuesday the 18th. 1:34:13
    • Lisa Davis recognized certificated and classified staff retirees listed on the month's agenda. 1:36:06
  13. Closed session and adjournment 2:15:05
    • A staff member reported no reportable action on labor negotiations. 2:15:21
    • The motion to adjourn carried 7⁠-⁠0 at 8:18 PM. 2:15:37

Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.

Other meetings

Other meetings of this board

Video: posted by the district as “Capistrano USD Regular Board Meeting | 8-13-2026”