An unenviable task awaits the five elected trustees of the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District in the first months of the New Year: identifying an estimated $16.1 million in budget cuts for the fiscal year starting July 1.
Trustees, who represent nearly all of Yorba Linda and Placentia and portions of Fullerton, Brea and Anaheim in the pre-K to 12th grade district, are mandated by state law to have a budget in place by a July 1 deadline.
Potential budget reductions are expected to be presented to trustees at a Jan. 20 meeting, with a public hearing on the budget scheduled for a June 2 meeting. Trustees were told at a previous meeting that some $15.6 million in cuts are necessary “to maintain fiscal solvency.”
That figure was increased to $16.1 million at a Dec. 16 meeting during a presentation of a state-required “first interim report” on the district’s financial health since the current budget was adopted in June 2025.
The report, which was due by Dec. 15 to the Orange County Department of Education, carried a “positive assignment,” a designation meaning the district “will meet its financial obligations for the current and two subsequent fiscal years.”
The report represents the latest information on revenues, expenditures, deficits, enrollment and other matters for the current fiscal year ending June 30 and projections on these topics for the next two fiscal years.
This year’s enrollment was estimated at 21,726, with projections of 21,338 and 20,950, respectively, for the next two fiscal years. That’s a drop from 25,501 enrolled in 2016-17.
This year’s revenues are estimated at $378.3 million, with projections of $372.3 million and $378.4 million for the next two fiscal years, and this year’s expenditures are estimated at $417.6 million, with projections of $401 million and $400 million for the next two fiscal years.
This year’s deficit is estimated at $39.3 million, with projections of $28.7 million and $21.6 million for the next two fiscal years.
Among the financial challenges listed in the report: declining enrollment, projected low cost-of-living funding from the state the next three years, annual step and column salary increases and rising health benefit premiums for employees and a potential loss of federal funding.
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Trustees again split their votes on the election of board officers to serve throughout 2026. Carrie Buck was selected president, Tricia Quintero vice president and Marilyn Anderson clerk on 3-2 votes. Anderson was president, Buck vice president and Todd Frazier clerk for 2025.
Supporting the choices for the one-year terms were Buck, Quintero and Anderson, while Frazier and Leandra Blades were opposed.
Also, trustees set the starting and ending dates for the 2026-27 school year. First day of classes will be on Thursday, Aug. 13, and the last day of classes will be Thursday, May 27, 2027, both up a week from this year’s dates.
Jim Drummond is a longtime Yorba Linda resident. He gives his opinion on local issues weekly. Send e-mail to jimdrummond@hotmail.com.