The Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District Board of Trustees voted 5-0 to approve the district’s 2025-26 unaudited report during a Sept. 14 meeting.

A PowerPoint Presentation, presented by Chief Business Official Cynthia Tapia, provides an insight into NCLUSD’s actual revenue, expenditures and fund balances from last year.

NCLUSD finished last year with a general fund balance of $12.5 million, $4.73 million in reserves and $2.01 million through deficit spending. The deficit spending, Tapia said, was due to the district’s expenditure exceeding its revenue at nearly $61.8 million. Of NCLUSD’s expenses, $47.83 million was used towards salary and benefits, $11.16 million for services and more than $2.7 million towards both books and supplies and capital outlay.

The 2026-27 45-day budget revision projects the district to have $3.11 million in its unrestricted reserve.

According to the presentation, NCLUSD has three budget priorities for this year: Monitor both the multiyear projection and the Average Daily Attendance and alignment of ongoing commitments through viable revenue.

In an effort to meet its financial obligations within the next two fiscal years, the district’s deficit is projected to be at $2.6 million this year. It was nearly $5 million.

The deficit is expected to decrease to $1.5 million going into the 2027-28 school year, according to a 2025-26 first interim budget report.

Board member Derek Wach voiced his concerns about the budget, saying he felt that the district has been “in the same spot for the past two years.” He asked about what can be done to reduce spending and increased revenue.

Sharing a similar sentiment to him was board member Maribel Cerutti, who said there seems to be no direction of handling the budget. “When decisions are based off of what we’re getting behind closed doors,” she said.

Board member Lyzette Gonzalez said the district should look at a multi-year correction plan with options on how to save its funds. One of Gonzalez’s frustrations when the layoff notices were initiated earlier this year was it felt that it was the only option given to the board.

Superintendent Justin Pruett said there could be a budget workshop later this year. The workshop can help decide on how to handle the spending moving forward.