The June 11 SVUSD Board Meeting: What Happened

The Sonoma Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees met on June 11, 2026. It was a long meeting covering the district's spending plan, the future of the Pride Flag at the high school, school library funding, and several contracts. Here is a quick recap of what the board took up, with fuller breakdowns of the most important items coming later this week.

The 2026-2027 LCAP public hearing. The board held its public hearing on the Local Control and Accountability Plan, the district's three-year plan setting out its goals, actions, and spending for all students, including the additional state funding the district receives specifically to support high-need students (those who are low-income, multilingual learners, or in foster care). There is a significant story here about how this plan changed between the version the public reviewed in April and the version the board heard in June, and what questions remain unanswered before the adoption vote. A full breakdown is coming this week.

The Pride Flag at Sonoma Valley High. The board discussed whether the progressive Pride Flag, flown at the high school since 2019 and removed in January, should continue to fly. The superintendent presented student survey data on mental health, safety, and harassment, and the trustees responded with sharply different views. No decision was made; the matter was deferred to the fall. This one deserves its own post, centered on the data and what the board members actually said. Coming this week.

School library funding. Flowery librarian Sarah Lake told the board the district spends about $1.73 per student on libraries, against a national average of about $11, and described collections where the average book dates to the 1990s. The response from the dais committed no funding. More on this in the days ahead.

Employee union comment. John Gray, president of the classified employees' union (CSEA), questioned why, in his words, "classified and certificated staff have been denied opportunities for employment while an outside source, namely the Boys and Girls Club corporation, is budgeted to be paid $1,467,000 in the coming year."

The budget. A stand-in consultant presented the 2026-2027 budget for adoption, reporting a combined ending fund balance of about $8.3 million, of which about $6.5 million is unrestricted. The board did not adopt the budget on June 11; adoption is set for June 18.

Windsor independent study MOUs. The board approved two agreements with Sonoma County Virtual Academy, run through Windsor Unified, for students in independent study. Sixteen students are currently in the program, and historically two to four have remained enrolled with the district so they can play sports here, at a cost of about $5,000 per semester per student.

MacArthur Park Charter School facilities. The board approved, unanimously, a facilities use agreement and operational MOU governing the charter school's use of the Prestwood campus.

What happens next. The board's adoption votes on the LCAP and the budget are scheduled for the next regular meeting, Thursday, June 18, 2026, with closed session at 4:30 p.m. and open session at approximately 6:00 p.m., at the district offices, 17850 Railroad Avenue, Sonoma. These are the votes that lock in the spending plan for the coming year. If you care about how this district funds its students, this is the meeting to attend. Public comment is welcome in person and by Zoom, and you do not need to give your name or sign up in advance to speak.