Pacific Grove Unified School District board cuts positions to address shortfall.

Pacific Grove Unified School District faces similar challenges as other school districts: the expiration of Covid-19 grants, special education costs and declining enrollment. 

To address the issue, on Feb. 26, the PGUSD board voted to eliminate several positions for the upcoming school year, including four teacher positions (including a Spanish teacher for elementary and high school, and a high school teacher from Pacific Grove Community High School) and the school librarian. (Board member Laura Ottmar opposed all the reductions, and Clerk Beth Shammas joined her in opposing cutting hours to the school librarian.) 

Superintendent Linda Adamson told the board that the district spends about 85 percent of its budget on salaries and benefits. “That's the reason for actual personnel reductions," Adamson said.

Other reductions included changing the funding to Medi-Cal reimbursement for a mental health therapist and a 20-percent reduction in travel and conference expenses. 

While reserves would increase with the cuts, the district’s expenditures will still be higher than its revenue. 

“There still is an anticipated deficit, even if all reductions brought forward tonight are approved by the board,” Assistant Superintendent Josh Jorn told the board before the vote. 

With the cuts, the projected reserve level increased from 5.6 to 8 percent for 2026-2027 and from 4.6 to 9.1 percent in 2027-2028. 

Jorn told the board it was important to optimize long-term savings.

“Why now?" he asked the board. “There is budget uncertainty that's occurring on the federal side.”