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Coachella Valley Unified board meeting, Sep 24, 2026

2 h 53 min · 4 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 53 min.

  1. Who spoke · first speaks at
  6. Thomas TortezPresident
What happened

What happened at this meeting

Coachella Valley Unified board motion on after-school site lead hours fails 2:41:45

  • Several speakers at public comment raised teacher layoffs and rehiring, an allegation about consultant training costs in site budgets, and bullying. 8:20
  • The board approved fall projects at various sites and an initial reopener proposal for 26⁠-⁠27 contract negotiations. 2:24:55

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

Item by item (15)
  1. Opening and agenda approval 0:00
    • Thomas Tortez called the meeting to order at 5:33, and Trinidad Arredondo led the Pledge of Allegiance. 0:00
    • A district staff member said the certificated personnel report had been revised to include 5 certificated employees added after the agenda was published. 2:20
    • The motion carried by majority vote. 3:33
  2. Public hearing on textbook compliance 3:33
    • A speaker at public comment said some teachers, especially combo teachers, do not have all the teaching materials they are supposed to have. 4:23
    • Thomas Tortez closed the hearing at 5:38. 4:58
  3. Closed session public comment 4:58
    • A speaker at public comment asked the board to accept an increase to an insurance cap and requested a report on the amount spent on M&O contracts. 5:32
    • A speaker at public comment said the district has laid off or released more than 100 educators each year and asked for a staffing plan. 8:20
    • The same speaker raised an allegation that principals were directed to budget $6,000 for consultant training, said it would total $138,000 per year across 23 sites, and asked the superintendent to investigate. 11:24
    • The motion to enter closed session carried by majority vote. 15:13
  4. Report of closed session actions 1:47:45
    • Valerie Garcia reported that the board voted 7⁠-⁠0 to return to open session. 1:48:23
    • The appointment carried 6⁠-⁠1. 1:48:51
  5. Open session public comment 1:49:22
    • A speaker at public comment said educators deserve a fair contract and said the speaker was hopeful the board would encourage the district's negotiating team to engage seriously with the group's proposals. 1:50:04
    • A speaker at public comment raised a possible conflict of interest involving the district's law firm and asked that a trustee recuse from future votes on the firm. 1:50:51
    • A speaker at public comment said bullying is still going on and asked for an update on a bullying policy. 1:53:15
  6. Student, board and superintendent reports 1:54:12
    • The student trustee reported on activities at the district's high schools. 1:54:31
    • One board member asked that the district seek a district rate when 5 or more sites request a contract or services. 2:04:42
    • The superintendent said a Recovery Day reached over 170 students from a list of about 208, 209 students and that attendance reached 95% at North Shore, Coral Mountain and CDA. 2:10:31
  7. County committee representative selection 2:17:26
    • A staff member said the representative would not sit on the county committee but would choose who attends its sessions. 2:18:43
    • The motion carried. ~2:20:32
  8. Safety intervention training agreement 2:20:32
    • A staff member said the training starts with 3 days of foundational training followed by 2 additional days for only 10 participants on de-escalation and restraint. 2:21:19
    • The motion carried. ~2:22:25
  9. Fall facility projects and bids 2:22:25
    • A staff member said a hydration station would be a drinking fountain with a chilled bottle filler and would require infrastructure improvements. 2:23:27
    • Asked about the Westside Elementary school bus drop-off and front landscape area, a staff member said the work would repurpose the area and move existing utilities. 2:23:45
    • The motion carried. ~2:24:43
  10. Contract reopener proposals 2:24:43
    • The board took up the district's initial reopener proposal to the Coachella Valley Teacher Association and the association's proposal to the district for 26⁠-⁠27 contract negotiations. 2:24:55
    • Both motions carried. ~2:25:34
  11. Consent calendar and special education invoices 2:26:18
    • Items N6, N9 and O3 were pulled for discussion, and more information was requested on M3 and M5. 2:26:53
    • A staff member said the original special education contract was for $122,000 and invoices from RCOE were not received until July of 2026. 2:28:24
    • A staff member said the $122,000 estimate was not accurate, that services did not increase, and that invoices are set up quarterly but are often late. 2:29:34
    • The consent calendar motion carried, and the special education item later carried. 2:27:49
  12. Student test fees 2:32:20
    • A staff member said all 10th and 11th grade students will take the PSAT, the district will pay for Advanced Placement tests, and the district is 98% socioeconomically disadvantaged. 2:32:54
    • The motion carried. ~2:34:47
  13. Districtwide tree services 2:34:47
    • A staff member said the district is asking for $350,000, that invoices will total probably $322,000, and that the rest is for emergencies. 2:35:26
    • A speaker asked for a worksheet explaining the amounts, and a staff member said the district is surveying its urban canopy. 2:36:01
    • The motion carried. ~2:37:12
  14. Unit price bid renewal 2:37:12
    • A speaker said this is the last renewal of unit price bids that were bid out in 2022 with the contractor locked in for 5 years. 2:38:04
    • The motion carried. ~2:39:40
  15. After-school site lead hours 2:39:40
    • A staff member said the site lead works at Desert Mirage and then at Toro Canyon. 2:42:05
    • A staff member said the July item listed all paraeducators by seniority and did not mean all were getting paid. 2:48:57
    • Thomas Tortez said the motion did not pass for lack of a majority and that some people would not be paid; the meeting adjourned at 8:34. 2:51:30

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

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Video: posted by the district as “CVUSD Board Meeting 09/24/2026”