Menu

Charter Oak Unified board meeting, Aug 20, 2026

3 h 07 min · 2 videos · 9 public speakers

Budget cuts and layoffs ▶ 27:27Enrollment ▶ 35:29

Click any moment below to jump the video to that second. Video length 1 h 26 min.

Playing part 2 · 1 h 26 min of 2. Back to part 1

What happened

What happened at this meeting

Part 1 · 1 h 41 min

Charter Oak Unified board approves 2025⁠-⁠26 unaudited actuals 5⁠-⁠0 1:09:19

  • The district's chief business officer presented the 2025⁠-⁠26 unaudited actuals, reporting an unrestricted general fund ending balance of about $5.6 million and a combined ending fund balance of $13.5 million. 26:54
  • Several speakers at public comment asked the district to fully fund health benefits and provide a fair salary adjustment, and described delays in benefits negotiations. 47:54
  • The board passed a resolution 4⁠-⁠1, then held a public hearing on the sufficiency of instructional materials at which no comments from the public were made. 1:21:03
  • The board also approved a memorandum of understanding with the Masonic Center for Youth and Families 4⁠-⁠1 after David Rose asked about child protection. 1:28:02

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

Item by item (15)
  1. Opening of the meeting 0:07
    • Cristian Aguilar, Ph.D. said all board members were present and there was no action to report from closed session. 0:12
  2. Student and volunteer recognitions 0:38
    • The Washington Elementary principal introduced a student flag salute leader, a superstar student and a parent volunteer honored as partner in education. 0:51
    • The board introduced the high school's student representative to the Glendora City Council and the new student representative to the board. 13:23
  3. Student board representative report 17:51
    • The student board representative described library activities and protected time for targeted intervention at Washington Elementary. 18:55
    • The student board representative said the high school office layout was changed this year to make the campus safer and easier for parents to navigate. 18:55
  4. Superintendent report 22:45
    • No ROP report was given. ~23:23
    • The superintendent said a nonprofit organization called the 74 cited two elementary schools for gains in literacy scores, and that Charter Oak High School was recognized by the US News and World Report. 23:26
    • The superintendent said teachers are piloting new math textbooks for potential adoption and recommendation to the board in the spring. 25:29
  5. Unaudited actuals presentation 26:11
    • The chief business officer said unrestricted revenues were $62.7 million and expenditures were about $50 million, $887,000 less than projected, and that the planned transfer from Fund 17 was reduced by about $1.1 million. 27:27
    • The chief business officer said the restricted ending fund balance was $7.8 million and the audited report will be presented in January. 36:23
    • Gregg Peterson asked what non-spendable money means, and a staff member said it is warehouse stock valued at $67,000. 40:45
  6. Public comment 43:37
    • A representative for a state senator said SB 1276 was signed into law. 44:08
    • Several speakers at public comment described rising health benefit costs for teachers, said a $500,000 request for fully paid family insurance was overlooked and described a district healthcare response that came on April 28th. 45:29
    • A speaker at public comment raised a $750,000 life insurance amendment to the superintendent's contract. 58:19
  7. Personnel Commission appointment process 1:01:09
    • A presenter said the district is governed by a 3-member Personnel Commission with one term up every 3 years, that this is the year for the board appointee, and that a public hearing would be held at the October 15th meeting, with board action in November and the new term beginning December 1st. 1:01:44
    • The presenter said the current holder of the position is interested in another 3-year term. 1:02:32
  8. Approval of unaudited actuals 1:02:50
    • David Rose asked whether special education costs and the transfer from Fund 17 were the reason for a stabilization plan, and a staff member said part of the deficit spending results from special education costs exceeding state funding. 1:03:16
    • One board member said they had a problem with putting Fund 17 money in the budget, and a staff member said the June adopted budget included no Fund 17 transfers for this year or the next 3 years. 1:07:53
    • The board approved the unaudited actuals 5⁠-⁠0. 1:09:19
  9. Business services resolutions and agreement 1:09:19
    • The board considered a resolution on appropriation limits for 26⁠-⁠27, a resolution establishing a clearing account for electronic payments and an amended joint powers agreement for the San Gabriel Valley Regional Occupational Program. 1:09:25
    • One board member said the clearing account would make it more convenient for parents to make payments electronically. 1:10:10
    • Each item passed 5⁠-⁠0. 1:09:49
  10. School funding resolution 1:11:25
    • One board member said they preferred to let the tax expire in 2031 so the legislature could review it. 1:12:47
    • Cristian Aguilar, Ph.D. said the tax had been a key component of public school funding and that losing it could mean a decrease of over $13 million in district funding. 1:16:09
    • A district staff member said losing the funding would lead to elimination of hundreds of positions and potential closures of schools. 1:20:10
    • The resolution passed 4⁠-⁠1. 1:21:03
  11. Sufficiency of instructional materials 1:21:02
    • No one from the public commented during the public hearing. ~1:21:02
    • Gregg Peterson asked whether there were any Williams reports, and a staff member said there were none this month and zero findings in the most recent audit. 1:22:06
    • The resolution passed 5⁠-⁠0. 1:22:37
  12. Administrator week and calendar change 1:22:37
    • The board considered a resolution declaring Week of the School Administrator October 12th through the 18th of 2026. 1:22:37
    • A district staff member said a study session scheduled for October 1st would be modified to a November 5th study session at Charter Oak High school to review its programs. ~1:23:20
    • The resolution passed 5⁠-⁠0 and the calendar amendment was approved 5⁠-⁠0. 1:23:07
  13. Consent calendar 1:24:23
    • David Rose pulled item B3, the MOU for Masonic Center for Youth and Family. 1:24:42
    • The board approved the consent calendar with the exception of item B3. 1:25:20
  14. Masonic Center MOU 1:25:20
    • David Rose asked for assurance that the organization complies with state law on protection of children. 1:25:43
    • A district staff member said the organization was vetted and would provide licensed clinicians and social workers on district campuses who would go through district onboarding requirements. 1:26:31
    • The item passed 4⁠-⁠1. 1:28:02
  15. Board member comments 1:28:02
    • Kristin McGuire said it is not true that the board gave the superintendent $750,000 and said 52% of superintendents have life insurance in their contracts. 1:34:33
    • One board member said the board did not write a blank check to anyone. 1:37:57
    • Cristian Aguilar, Ph.D. thanked the teachers who spoke and said the next meeting is on October 15th, 2026. 1:39:13

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

Part 2 · 1 h 26 min

Charter Oak trustees approve District of Choice resolution for '27-'28 on 5⁠-⁠0 vote 1:06:01

  • The board heard a staff presentation on District of Choice applications and district enrollment, including 15 applications and 13 new families for the 2026⁠-⁠27 school year. 2:10
  • A presenter outlined the terms and timeline of project labor agreements, and the board directed the district to begin the process of creating an item for a future meeting. 45:41

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

Item by item (11)
  1. Item 0:05
    • The meeting moved into open session at 6:39 PM with all board members present and no report of action taken in closed session. 0:05
    • David Rose said there was no ROP report because that meeting was being held the same night, and a report would come at next month's meeting. 1:07
  2. District of Choice and enrollment presentation 1:30
    • A staff member said the district received 15 applications for 2026⁠-⁠27, 13 new families enrolled, and 19 students living in the district went to another district under District of Choice. 2:10
    • David Rose asked whether students accepted through the program are still enrolled, and the staff member said students come and go. 6:32
    • The staff member said enrollment was roughly about 100 students below the last day of school last year, while TK grew from 8 sections to a total of 10, with TK numbers reaching 185. 8:40
  3. Public comment 17:18
    • Speakers at public comment raised a step raise made retroactive to '25-'26 and the accuracy of the minutes of the 6/18/2026 board meeting regarding a $750,000 life insurance amount for the superintendent. 20:49
    • A speaker asked for 100% family health coverage for teachers and requested bargaining dates in October. 26:24
    • David Rose asked whether the 3-minute public comment timer should start when a speaker begins talking, and the chair said the timer can begin at that time. 28:26
  4. Project labor agreement discussion 29:45
    • A presenter described key terms of project labor agreements, including project scope, core employees, career technical training and local hire, and said an agreement can be approved in about 2 to 3 months. 45:41
    • Gregg Peterson asked who is responsible for compliance, and the presenter said a coordinator, often a construction management firm or third-party consultant, holds that responsibility. 59:42
    • One board member said they are a supporter of community hiring agreements and project labor agreements, and asked whether the name could be changed to Community and Student Workforce Hiring Agreement. 1:01:14
    • The board directed the district to begin the process of exploring an agreement and to create an item for a future meeting. 1:04:07
  5. Department of General Services representatives 1:04:38
    • The board considered a resolution to designate district authorized representatives to the Department of General Services. 1:04:38
    • The item passed 5⁠-⁠0. 1:05:26
  6. Red Ribbon Week resolution 1:05:26
    • The board considered a resolution setting Red Ribbon Week for October 23rd through October 31st. 1:05:26
    • The item passed 5⁠-⁠0. 1:06:01
  7. District of Choice participation 1:06:01
    • The board considered a resolution for the district to participate in District of Choice for '27-'28. 1:06:01
    • The item passed 5⁠-⁠0. 1:06:33
  8. Certification of teacher evaluators 1:06:33
    • The board considered certification of management personnel assigned to evaluate teachers. 1:06:33
    • The item passed 5⁠-⁠0. 1:07:00
  9. School psychologist credential waiver 1:07:00
    • A board member asked how long the waiver would last, and a speaker said it is for the year but is not expected to be needed longer than 4 to 6 weeks while the credential is cleared. 1:07:14
    • The item passed 5⁠-⁠0. 1:08:11
  10. Consent calendar 1:08:11
    • No items were pulled from the consent calendar. 1:08:11
    • The consent calendar passed 5⁠-⁠0. 1:08:56
  11. Board comments and adjournment 1:08:55
    • A staff member said 7 students from Charter Oak High School visited Cisco headquarters to learn about post-secondary options. 1:16:17
    • One board member said the $750,000 policy amount is not the amount the district is paying and that life insurance for a superintendent is common practice. 1:19:58
    • The chair announced the next meeting for September 17th. 2026, adjourned the meeting at 8:03 PM, and then opened and adjourned the annual meeting of the district financing corporation with no business. 1:21:26

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

What was said

What board members said, in order

Obviously for this particular year that we're reporting on, we have a net decrease of 6 in terms of the district of choice data. And where does that kind of fit in any pattern over the course of these 7 years?Cristian Aguilar · President7:01
Who spoke

Who spoke

Cristian AguilarPresidentFirst speaks at 0:08
Gregg PetersonTrusteeFirst speaks at 40:45
David RoseTrusteeFirst speaks at 41:18
Kristin McGuireTrusteeFirst speaks at 1:32:46
Jeanette FloresVice PresidentFirst speaks at 1:36:47

Video: posted by the district as “Charter Oak USD Meeting Board of Trustees - August 20th, 2026”