PUHSD trustees decide against proposed teacher layoffs

Superintendent Dr. Jose Luis Araux addresses the audience at Wednesday's meeting. (Staff photo)

By Doug Spoon, Editor

Perris Union High School District trustees decided against proposed teacher layoffs on Wednesday, instead pledging to do more to promote the district in the wake of funding challenges.

PUHSD includes three public high schools attended by Menifee students: Paloma Valley, Heritage and Liberty. Menifee Union School District is a K-8 district. Discussions have been held in the past about unifying MUSD as a K-12 district, but there are no negotiations at this time.

Meanwhile, attendees who were prepared to speak against the layoffs at Wednesday’s meeting in Perris applauded when it was announced at the start of the meeting that an item regarding the staff reductions was being taken off the agenda.

The layoff of six teachers in the district was originally proposed by PUHSD staff as an option to help alleviate funding shortages due to decreased enrollment. Superintendent Dr. Jose Luis Araux reported that PUHSD has 128 less students than last year, despite the constant population increase in Menifee. Deputy Superintendent Candace Reines detailed the funding challenges in a budget report given after the layoff proposal was pulled off the agenda.

Reines reported that PUHSD is projected to experience deficit spending requiring use of $1.7 million from reserves in 2024-25, $7.6 million in 2025-26, and $11.8 million in 2026-27. As a result, the district's financial cushion will shrink from $35.9 million in 2024-25 to just $16.5 million by 2026-27.

“As enrollment declines, the district receives less state funding,” Reines said. “In addition, with fewer students enrolled, the number of teachers required decreases. In 2025-26, this projected decline in enrollment means the district will be overstaffed by six certificated teachers, resulting in an estimated $1 million in expenditures without corresponding revenue.”

Araux said the budget situation was discussed by staff and trustees in closed session on Wednesday. Then when it came time during the public meeting to approve the agenda, Araux read the following statement:

“As a collaborative team, the district and the Board of Education recognize that addressing a Reduction in Force (RIF) is one of the most difficult responsibilities we face together. Bringing forward an agenda item that impacts the livelihoods of our valued educators is never taken lightly.

“This evening's agenda includes an action item recommending the reduction of our certificated teaching staff by six positions. This recommendation is the result of extensive collaboration between the Board of Education, the Superintendent, and our Cabinet. Together, we have worked diligently to explore new ways to save money and to bring in more attendance to save teachers' jobs.

“Despite these efforts, enrollment trends still necessitate this difficult decision. This year, our enrollment decreased by 128 students, and projections indicate an additional decline of 108 students for the 2025-26 school year. These enrollment shifts significantly impact staffing needs.

“Our Board members, district leaders, and educational staff are united in our shared commitment to providing the best possible education for our students. None of us entered education to make these difficult decisions. However, tonight, we have made a collaborative decision to recommend to the board to pull item 13.6 and continue to work together with all stakeholders to look at how we will navigate the fiscal stability of our district.”

At that point, trustee Edward Garcia made a motion that item 13.6 be removed from the agenda. The motion passed unanimously.

“For personal reasons, I didn’t feel it was the right thing to do,” Garcia said about the proposal after the meeting. “Put yourself in our position. Do you want to be the one to have to let people go when you’re uncertain about the options to fix the problem? I’ve been around education for 25 years. When people get laid off, it’s not always the greatest thing.

“I have a hard time laying off people, but our job is to make the best decisions with the information we have. I didn’t feel like I had the best information to work with. The district does the best job they can to present information to us, but sometimes you have to go with your gut instinct.”

The six teachers who had been considered for layoffs were not named, but Menifee 24/7 learned one of them was Stephen Kaas (left), a teacher at Paloma Valley High since 2003 and head coach of the very successful girls volleyball team. Kaas said he addressed the board prior to the closed session and was prepared to speak again if the item had come up in the regular meeting.

Araux and Garcia acknowledged the value of teachers such as Kaas, who is a popular and effective teacher of work experience and college and career classes as well as a coach who has attracted students to the district because of the volleyball team’s success. The Wildcats have won seven league titles under Kaas, have gone to the CIF-SS twice, and the program has sent 50 players on to college. Kaas recorded his 300th career victory last season.

“I'd say athletics help in two ways,” Kaas told Menifee 24/7. “First, we've had many transfers come to our school -- not because we're out there recruiting, but because the community can recognize a program with a solid legacy and people want to be a part of it.

“Second, we really pushed the grades. Our students know they need to be at school and in class if they want to play. Our combined team GPA is always near or above 4.0. These athletes know they are expected to be excellent role models in their sport and academically, and they have consistently delivered.”

Staff and board members have no official explanation for why a district located in a growing community is experiencing declining enrollment, but Araux acknowledged that the departure of students for charter schools and public schools in other districts has created a financial challenge. Both he and Garcia said that along with holding off on layoffs, the district is making a commitment to market itself better and publicize the positive programs the district offers.

“I want to bring the entire community together – the board, the parents and community members – to focus on the underlying issues,” Araux said. “We need to focus on bringing everyone together. We have to look at the options for funding because we have declining enrollment. We presented that tonight because that is the reality.

“We need to find out why students are choosing to go to other districts. One of the things we need to do is a better of job of promoting our programs and showing what we do here. We want to develop a system where we can market our schools to the community.”