The Pasadena Unified School District has announced its plans to implement $30-35 million in reductions for the 2026-27 school as part of a multi-year effort to address a financial crisis.
This summer, the district passed a fiscal stabilization plan along with its fiscal-year budget. The stabilization plan laid out how the district could cut $83 million over three fiscal years.
“These decisions will be difficult, and we remain committed to transparency as we work together to safeguard our students and their learning,” Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco wrote in a community message.
PUSD ended the 2024-25 fiscal year with a positive ending balance because of a $12 million reduction in 2025-26 spending and one-time disaster recovery funds after the Eaton fire, according to the district.
It finds itself in these choppy financial waters thanks to years of declining enrollment, rising costs and the expiration of COVID-19 relief funding.
The Superintendent’s Budget Advisory Committee will be working this fall on identifying reductions or revenues in the following areas: central office reductions, contracts, grant maximization, special education, transportation, asset management and staffing to ratio/vacancies.
On Nov. 13, the Board of Education is scheduled to review the recommendations for reductions and a week later it is expected to take final action on the recommendations. Implementation will begin in December, reduction notices will be sent in March and the next budget will be approved by July with the $30-35 million of reductions in effect, according to the district.
The Board of Education will meet Thursday, Oct. 9, for a special meeting where the Los Angeles County Office of Education will present on its oversight responsibilities over PUSD and its conditional budget approval.
If a district is found to be in fiscal distress the state education code mandates and investigation, notification and intervention by the county, according to the presentation included in the meeting agenda.
PUSD’s multiyear projection shows a cumulative decline of $149.4 million in the unrestricted general fund over three years, the presentation said.
“Our first priority is students and their classroom experience,” Blanco said in a statement. “We are committed to leading this difficult process with transparency and respect for the employees who have built PUSD, while ensuring that our schools remain welcoming and safe, and focused on learning.”
Thursday’s meeting begins at 5 p.m. and will be streamed on the KLRN Pasadena YouTube channel.