Know Our District

Understanding Our School District is the First Step to Changing It

How Our Schools are Funded

California public schools are funded through a combination of state, local, and federal sources. Here is how it works in plain language:

🏛️ State Funding — The biggest piece The majority of SVUSD's funding comes from the state through a formula called the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). The amount each district receives is based primarily on student enrollment — which is why declining enrollment is such a serious financial issue for SVUSD. Fewer students means less money.

📊 Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) Every district in California is required to publish an LCAP — a public document that explains how the district plans to spend its money and what goals it is working toward. This is one of the most important documents a community member can read. SVUSD's LCAP is available in our Document Library.

🏠 Local Property Taxes A portion of school funding comes from local property taxes collected in the district's boundaries. This money flows through the county and is allocated to SVUSD.

🇺🇸 Federal Funding Federal funds make up a smaller portion of the budget and are often tied to specific programs — such as Title I funding for low income schools, Title III for English learners, and IDEA funding for special education students.

💰 Where the Money Goes The vast majority of a school district's budget — typically 80-85% — goes directly to salaries and benefits for teachers, administrators, and staff. This is why staff reductions are one of the first signs of a district in financial trouble.

WHO HOLDS POWER - THE SVUSD POWER STRUCTURE

How power flows in SVUSD:

👥 The Board of Trustees — Elected by you The board is the governing body of SVUSD. Its five elected trustees set district policy, approve the budget, hire and evaluate the superintendent, and make major decisions about schools. They are accountable directly to the voters of Sonoma Valley.

Current trustees:

David Bell — Board President
Ann Ching
Gerardo Guzman
Catarina Landry
Jason Lehman

🏫 The Superintendent — Hired by the board The superintendent is the chief executive of the district — responsible for day to day operations, implementing board policy, and managing district staff. The superintendent serves at the pleasure of the board.

Current Superintendent: Jason Sutter

🏢 District Administration The superintendent is supported by a team of district administrators who oversee specific areas — curriculum, human resources, finance, facilities, and more.

👩‍🏫 Principals and School Staff Principals manage individual school sites and report to district administration. Teachers and classified staff are the frontline of student education and are represented by unions — the Valley of the Moon Teachers Association (VOMTA) for teachers and CSEA for classified staff.

👨‍👩‍👧 You — The Community Community members have the right to attend all board meetings, submit public comment, request public records through the California Public Records Act (CPRA), and vote for board trustees in November elections. Your voice matters — and this organization exists to help you use it.

GLOSSARY OR TERMS

New to school district governance? Here are the terms you'll hear most often:

📖 Brown Act California's open meeting law. It requires that all meetings of public bodies — including school boards — be open to the public with proper notice. Board members cannot make decisions in private.

📖 CPRA — California Public Records Act The law that gives community members the right to request and receive public documents from government agencies including school districts. Sonoma Schools Alliance has used CPRA requests to obtain contracts, correspondence, and other important district documents.

📖 LCFF — Local Control Funding Formula The state formula that determines how much funding each California school district receives, based primarily on enrollment and student demographics.

📖 LCAP — Local Control Accountability Plan The annual plan every California district must publish explaining how it will spend its money and what goals it is pursuing for students.

📖 Non-Renewal When a school district decides not to renew a staff member's contract for the following year. Non-renewals must be issued by March 15th under California law.

📖 Public Comment The portion of every board meeting where community members may address the board directly. Each speaker is typically given two to three minutes. Written comments may also be submitted.

📖 Trustee Office Hours Scheduled times when individual board trustees make themselves available to meet with community members one on one. These are an important and underutilized opportunity for direct dialogue with elected officials.

📖 VOMTA — Valley of the Moon Teachers Association The union representing teachers in SVUSD. VOMTA advocates for teacher working conditions, compensation, and — frequently — student learning conditions as well.

📖 AB 640 California Assembly Bill 640, signed by Governor Newsom in October 2025, requiring school board members to complete training on K-12 finance laws. Completion of CSBA's Masters in Governance program exempts board members from this requirement.

📖 CSBA — California School Boards Association The statewide organization that provides training, resources, and support for California school board members. CSBA's Masters in Governance program is the gold standard for board governance training in California.

📖 SCOE — Sonoma County Office of Education The county-level education agency that supports and oversees school districts in Sonoma County. SCOE has offered free governance training to the SVUSD board.

DOCUMENT LIBRARY

All documents posted here were obtained through California Public Records Act requests or are publicly available public records.