School district preparing to cut jobs

"The Mountain View Whisman School District is preparing to cut several full-time district positions next year in an effort to save $9 million. Parent Lillian Good said at a board meeting on Dec. 18 that she is concerned the district is making reductions based on flawed budget data. In previous years, the district has warned about potential financial woes, but instead saw revenue growth, Good said."

"The positions include a mix of administrators, teachers and non-teachers employees. The setback comes from a decline in property tax revenues, which is the district's main funding source. In the past, the district has typically projected a 2 to 3% annual growth in assessed values and the actual figures have come out much higher. However, this year the district projected a more accurate 2.34%, based on information from the county assessor's office."

"Superintendent Jeffery Baier said the main priority is to avoid cuts that will directly affect students. Residents have previously critiqued how Mountain View spends its multi-million dollar budget. In 2024, locals raised concerns over the district spending $121,150 for sessions with an "energy healer" last school year. The district had used Alycia Diggs-Chavis, a certified energy healer and intuition coach, for 121 sessions for 159 employees."

Mountain View Whisman School District plans to eliminate more than 18 full-time central-office positions to achieve $9 million in annual savings. The reductions encompass administrators, teachers and support staff and respond to a drop in property tax revenue, the district's primary funding source. Assessed-value growth was projected at 2.34% this year using county assessor data, lower than previous years' actual increases. A pause before cutting programs was urged to confirm whether a deficit materializes. Community members have also raised concerns about past district expenditures, including $121,150 spent on energy-healer sessions for staff.

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