El Rancho Unified School District board meeting, Sep 15, 2026
4 h 01 min · 4 public speakers
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What happened
What happened at this meeting
El Rancho Unified finance staff report district overspent about $9.7 million in 2025-26 2:56:31
- A district staff member presented the 2025-26 unaudited actuals and said the district spent a little over $167 million and overspent about $9.7 million for the year. 2:56:31
- The board adopted a revised chronic absence and truancy policy and a resolution establishing GAN appropriations limits for fiscal year 2026-2027. 3:53:26
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Item by item (15)
- Opening, closed session and agenda 1:22
- Hector LaFarga, Jr. read the closed session topics, including labor negotiations, existing or anticipated litigation and a public employee performance evaluation. 1:24
- A district staff member amended the agenda, including changing item 17B5 to an agreement to provide the Time4Learning platform and increasing a South Ranchito Academy proposal to an amount not to exceed $75,000. 1:22:07
- A staff member reported that direction was provided to staff on one matter by unanimous consensus and that no reportable final actions were taken in closed session. 1:24:10
- Student reports 1:24:47
- The new ASB president for El Rancho High School reported on fall sports, a club fair and a college fair, and said the homecoming dance would be on October 24th. 1:26:21
- The ASB president for Ruben Salazar High School said the school had launched its own athletics program for the first time, with 5 co-ed sports. 1:28:19
- Million Word Club recognition 1:30:25
- Hector LaFarga, Jr. said the board was recognizing students for exceeding expectations of the district's Accelerated Reader program and joining the Million Word Club. 1:30:59
- A district staff member said the students had read over a million words, and students from elementary, middle and high schools and the Virtual Learning Academy were recognized. 1:31:22
- Public comment 1:54:15
- Hector LaFarga, Jr. said there were no comments on agenda items. 1:54:54
- A speaker at public comment raised concerns about a changed special needs pickup and drop-off location at South Ranchito Dual Language Academy, citing heat and a lack of shade, and asked the board to move it back or add a shade canopy. 1:55:15
- Other speakers raised mandatory tutoring for middle school teachers during the 30 minutes before and after school, the hiring process for 5th grade teachers at one elementary school, and silenced comments on the district's Instagram. 1:58:37
- Labor association reports 2:05:28
- Inclusive practices presentation 2:06:36
- A district staff member said the district had a target to reduce the percentage of students spending less than 40% of the school day in general education settings, and later said the district was 2 tenths away from the state bar for this year. 2:14:00
- Christine Sáavedra asked how the opportunities were being communicated to parents and whether the family survey was specific to special education. 2:36:55
- Arlene Perez asked how the district was supporting teachers and staff, and Esther Mejia asked that unified sports schedules be posted and requested direction on community school grants. 2:40:52
- 2025-26 unaudited actuals 2:55:49
- A district staff member said the district received about $158 million, spent a little over $167 million, and reduced its ending fund balance by about 18% to $42.5 million. 2:57:17
- John Contreras asked where the district had opportunities to maintain its reserves, and Arlene Perez asked about the plan and timeline to address the budget. 3:06:15
- A staff member said the district was creating a fiscal stabilization team and committee, and another staff member said the first interim must be presented by December 15th. 3:12:38
- First readings of board policies 3:25:26
- The board received the first reading of revised board policy 0410 on non-discrimination and of board bylaw and exhibit 9220, and no board comments were made. 3:25:26
- Superintendent report 3:25:26
- Board announcements 3:28:17
- John Contreras thanked the Latina Golfers Association and staff for donating 12 fully equipped golf bags and clubs to the girls golf team. 3:29:02
- Esther Mejia said the district presented on dual enrollment at the Unity Conference. 3:32:57
- One board member suggested an alumni foundation selling alumni gear and asked that AI literacy be prioritized in teaching. 3:41:31
- Consent agenda 3:49:46
- Week of the School Administrator resolution 3:50:26
- Board member absence resolution 3:52:30
- Policy, budget and salary actions 3:53:26
- The board considered the second reading and adoption of revised board policy and administrative regulation 5113.1 on chronic absence and truancy. 3:53:45
- The board considered a resolution establishing the GAN appropriations limits for fiscal year 2026-2027 and a resolution to approve and ratify the public salary schedule for the chief business officer. 3:54:07
- Hector LaFarga, Jr. announced that each motion passed. 3:54:07
- Future agenda items 3:55:12
- John Contreras requested a presentation on dual enrollment. 3:55:26
- Esther Mejia requested items on screen time, an AI task force, community school grants, Accelerated Reader and a hazard mitigation plan. 3:56:19
- Hector LaFarga, Jr. requested a board update on issues raised by speakers regarding shading, parking, the hiring process and the teachers' 30 minutes before and after school, before the board returned to closed session. 3:57:21
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 “ERUSD Board Of Education Meeting - September 15, 2026”