MPUSD approves staff reductions; cuts are below the target.

On March 3, the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District Board of Education unanimously approved a $3.7 million district-wide reduction to balance its budget. 

MPUSD, as with many other districts in the county and the state, is facing financial difficulties based on various factors, including the end of Covid-19 funding, declining enrollment and the increase in expenditures in special education. 

“Those three together create a very challenging situation,” Superintendent PK Diffenbaugh told the board on March 3. 

The district had three options on the table: saving $4.1 million (Option 1), $3.8 million (Option 2) and $8 million (Option 3), respectively. 

The original goal was a $4 million reduction; after community input, the district opted for an alternative modeled after Option 2 that will save $3.7 million. The final plan kept community liaisons at traditional high schools and middle schools (at the elementary level, they will be reduced to a part-time position while Central Coast High School won’t have any), as well as mental health professionals at each school.

It reduced several vacant or soon-to-be vacant positions, 30.5 out of 44.9 full-time positions, including six school psychologists (four vacant), eight Accelerated Learning Specialists (four vacant) and 15 teacher positions; two of those were visual and performing arts positions funded through grants. 

Most parents, students and staff who spoke at the meeting supported the option the board chose.

“Although this wasn't an easy decision…I just want to thank you, board members, for taking into consideration everybody's worries,” said Norma Aquino, community liaison at Seaside Middle School. 

The district will continue with its Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative for an additional year. 

CYBHI is a five-year, $4.7 billion state initiative to fund mental health services in schools, with Medi-Cal and other insurance plans reimbursing school districts for providing them. MPUSD implemented this program in January 2025, but the reimbursement process has been slow. Of the 9,290 claims submitted last year, MPUSD has received $170,657, with $539,101 still pending.

Since the reductions are below $4 million, Diffenbaugh added that staff will return in the future to make further cuts. 

MPUSD workers will receive termination notices by March 15; the final layoff notices will happen in May.