SCUSD Board of Education Recap
December 19, 2024

e-Connections Post

At the December 19 meeting of the ÇÑ×ÓÊÓƵ City Unified School District Board, the Board recognized five students who attend Arthur A. Benjamin Health Professions High School as SCUSD Stellar Students: Tayler Sadler, Kayla Yang, Aydrien Tacuri, Joshua Mbah, and Luz Pascual. These five students consistently rank at the top of their class academically and serve as active agents of change within our school culture. They volunteer for community events and take an active role in organizing school activities. They advocate for their classmates, to ensure that all voices are heard, and work diligently to provide quality services for all students. Their teachers and school staff take pride in their achievements and contributions to their school community.

Three newly elected Board Members -  Michael Benjamin, Jose Navarro, and April Ybarra – and recently re-elected Board Member Chinua Rhodes took a ceremonial oath of office to start their term on the Board.

The Board elected the following Board Members to serve as Board Officers:

  • Jasjit Singh, President
  • Tara Jeane, Vice President
  • Chinua Rhodes, Second Vice President

The Board took action to approve an agreement between SCUSD and the Services Employees International Union (SEIU) for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school year. The agreement is effective beginning July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2026 and includes a 2% salary increase retroactive to July 1, 2023 and an additional 4% salary increase for the 2024-25 school year.

The Board received an independent audit report for the 2023-24 fiscal year. State Education Code requires school districts to conduct an annual audit of all funds under the jurisdiction of the Governing Board. These reports are filed with the County Superintendent, State Department of Education, and the State Controller’s Office. SCUSD contracted with Crowe LLP to conduct this audit.

The Board took action to approve the District’s 2024-25 First Interim Financial Report. This report provides an overview of the district’s financial condition for the current fiscal year and the next two years. The District has issued a qualified certification for the first interim report. This certification is a proactive measure, reflecting the District’s commitment to closely monitor its financial position and ensure it remains capable of meeting its obligations for the current and upcoming fiscal years. State Education Code requires school districts to prepare Interim Financial Reports each year.

The Board received an informational update on Special Education, including an overview of the SCUSD Special Education Department and Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) SELPA, and the District’s efforts to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations, promote inclusive education and foster collaboration with families and stakeholders.  

For more information about these items please visit /boe121924.

For more information about the SCUSD Board of Education, including the schedule for future Board meetings and to submit a public comment at future meetings, please visit /board-education.

The next SCUSD Board meeting will be held on January 16. The open session of the meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. at the Serna Center, 5735 47th Avenue, in the Community Room. The meeting can also be viewed online on SCUSD’s YouTube channel .