Budget and Financial Strategy: Aligning Resources to Outcomes
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Across April and May, Fresno Unified’s Board of Education engaged in detailed and often urgent budget deliberations focused on safeguarding student-centered investments while confronting an increasingly constrained fiscal outlook.
At the April 23 meeting, Chief Financial Officer Patrick Jensen outlined the district’s key concerns: lower student attendance (currently at 91%), a decline in student enrollment expected through 2029, rising costs due to inflation, and uncertainty around funding from the state and federal government. Together, these issues are contributing to a projected $40 million budget shortfall. While the state has proposed a 2.4% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), it won’t fully close the gap.
Despite projected cuts of $20-$25 million per year over the next two years, the district remains committed to maintaining classroom support while making thoughtful reductions in other areas. At the May 14 meeting, Jensen emphasized that the Governor’s May Revision to the state budget showed minimal changes for K-12 funding, allowing the district more time to plan carefully and avoid sudden cuts. For more information on the latest state budget developments, read our recap of the May Revision here.
Literacy Investments: Building a Strong Academic Foundation
While navigating these challenges, Fresno is advancing a budget framework that prioritizes long-term academic growth. A major part of this plan is a $100 million investment in early literacy to help raise student reading levels from 48% to 80% over five years. The funding will go towards:
- 14 full-time literacy coaches stationed across regions
- Two teachers on special assignment focused on instructional support
- Reading specialists and paraeducators dedicated to early reading development
- Supplemental reading materials and digital tools
- Expanded professional development for teachers on foundational literacy
- Family engagement programming to build adult literacy and home-school learning partnerships
College and Career Readiness: Expanding Opportunity
The district is also investing in college and career readiness, aiming to increase the percentage of students classified as “college and career ready” from 43% to 64%. Assistant Superintendent Jeremy Ward shared at the May 14 meeting that the district aims to raise that number through four strategic initiatives:
- Providing stronger academic support for 9th and 10th graders to reduce D and F grades.
- Expanding Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways and dual enrollment programs so more students can earn college credit while in high school.
- Increasing A-G course completion across all campuses to ensure students meet California’s college entrance requirements.
- Expanding assessment systems and professional learning for math achievement.
Trustee Levine asked whether the district had set specific targets for how many additional students would benefit from the programs like dual enrollment or pre-apprenticeships. GO’s Dual Enrollment Community Action Team has asked the district about this as well. Ward acknowledged that they don’t have a “hard number goal.” He explained that expansion of dual enrollment is complicated by the need for partnerships with State Center Community College District, availability of qualified instructors who meet the minimum requirements to teach college-level courses, and variability in program readiness across high schools. While the intention is to establish a baseline level of access for all students, he acknowledged that more planning is required to define and track participating targets. (Read about the latest work GO’s committee has been doing here.)
Life Skills Development: Preparing Students for Life Beyond School
Another important area in the budget is the district’s commitment to teaching life skills. The idea is that academic learning should go hand in hand with social and emotional development. The district will invest $22.8 million to expand the DESSA (Devereux Student Strengths Assessment) tool to all K-8 schools and roll out a new district wide approach called the “Portrait of a Learner.” This framework helps students build important life skills like resilience, teamwork, and good decision making through lessons and activities built into the school day.
Resource Alignment and Reallocating Central Office Resources
The Board is also focused on improving how the district uses its current resources. At the April 30 meeting, Instructional Superintendent Dr. Marie Williams said Fresno Unified is “resource rich but coordination poor,” meaning that while there are many programs and people in place, they need to work together better. The district plans to repurpose existing funds instead of relying only on new dollars. Trustee Thomas asked for more information about tutoring and mentoring vendors, specifically, who they are and how their work supports students.
To support these changes and keep services strong at schools, the district has made staffing changes. Over the last two years, Fresno Unified has reduced about 100 central office positions, mostly through people retiring or leaving. The money saved has been used to hire more school-based staff like paraeducators, campus safety assistants, and school nurses. Patrick Jensen described this as a decision to “push resources down” to schools where students need them most.
Still, not all changes have been well received. Some community members and trustees were concerned about cuts to the English Learner (EL) department, especially the loss of Teacher on Special Assignment (TSA) positions. In a district where many students are learning English, some felt these supports were essential. Jensen explained that the reductions stemmed from vacancies and TSA roles and that the district has tried to protect services as much as possible, but admitted that “full service is not always entirely possible” under the current budget.
Next Steps
As the district finalizes its 2025-2026 budget, trustees have emphasized the need for transparency, measurable goals, and clear connections between spending and student outcomes. Two public hearings, on June 4 and June 20, will give families and community members a chance to weigh in.
To learn more about Fresno Unified’s budget process or how to get involved, explore GO’s School Finance Resource Library, which includes breakdowns of the budget cycle and the different Parent Advisory Committees (PACs). You can also join our Family Leadership Program designed to support parents and community members in using their voices to advocate for meaningful change.
Additional Meeting Highlights:
- Language Access for Indigenous Families: During public comment, Mixteco-speaking families from Miguel Hidalgo Elementary shared emotional testimony about their struggles to access interpretation services. Parents described missing critical school information and being unable to advocate for their children due to language barriers. Supported by the National Center for the Development of Indigenous Communities, they asked for improved language services – not just Spanish and English, but also Mixteco – with cultural sensitivity. Trustees expressed deep concern and committed to exploring options, including reinstating a language lab at Hidalgo.
- Superintendent Contract Approved for Misty Her: The Board approved the employment contract for Superintendent Misty Her at the April 30 meeting. The contract was approved with a 6-1 vote, with Trustee Wittrup voted no, citing a rushed interview process and unanswered questions related to a waived age requirement for lifetime benefits. She emphasized that her concerns centered on process transparency rather than performance.
- Adoption of Student Outcomes-Focused Board Bylaws: At the April 30 meeting, the Board approved a major revision to Board Bylaw 9000 to align with the Student Outcomes Focused Governance (SOFG) model. Led by Trustees Islas, Cazares, and Levine, the bylaw aims to sharpen the Board’s focus on student achievement while clarifying the roles of the Board and Superintendent. Trustees emphasized that the policy does not diminish the Board’s legal responsibilities but is intended to improve coherence and accountability. While most trustees expressed support, Trustee Wittrup voted no, citing concerns over language clarity, the absence of a second reading, and typographical errors. Legal counsel confirmed that a second reading was not legally required. The bylaw passed 6-1. Trustees acknowledged the policy as a living document and welcomed future refinements.