Manhattan Beach Unified School District (MBUSD) predicts a budget shortfall of 6.8 million dollars for the 2026-27 school year due to funding deficiency.
Last Wednesday the school board approved the reduction of about 60 full-time staff members. Drastic cuts could significantly increase class sizes in the years to come. Less teachers and less available classes will also take a toll on students who plan to enroll in a zero period, making them much more difficult to obtain.
“Not having a zero period really impacted my schedule and how my classes were arranged,” Costa junior Ava Fielder said. “It meant that I had to take a sixth period, and now I have to go straight from class to my after school activities without a break. ”
District leaders also worry that increasing class sizes will take a toll on the well-being and workload of teachers. They will have more students to oversee and assignments to grade, leading to less individualized attention and tailored support for students. Wednesday’s board meeting discussed reducing the humanities department from seven to three teachers, which would result in average class sizes at an all time high of 61 students.
“To me, being able to get help with specific struggles is a super important part of the learning process,” Fielder said. “I know I won’t learn as much with less chances to talk to teachers.”
The deadline to alert employees of preliminary layoffs is Mar. 15. For now the community must wait for its release, as well as the publication of the Second Interim report on Mar. 11.
“Do I sacrifice classes that students love so they can graduate with a diploma?” Costa Principal Dr. Jennifer Huynh said. “Those are really difficult decisions that we have to make, and never fun conversations to have.”
Approximately 66% of district revenue comes from the state’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). LCFF prioritizes funding for students who are first-time English learners, in foster care, and eligible for reduced meal prices. Since minimal students in the district fall into these categories, limited additional funding can be received. According to the MBUSD Budget Corner, Manhattan Beach Unified is the lowest-funded district in Los Angeles County, and the second lowest unified district in the state.
“A lot of our funding comes from the parcel tax within the community, as well as the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation (MBEF),” said Huynh. “MBEF funds anywhere between six to seven and a half million dollars a year”.
School districts in California must compile budget reports to monitor financial stability. The First Interim budget report predicts that expenditures will ultimately exceed revenue, and that District reserves could drop below state requirements. In response to these findings, the school board has been forced to cutback expenses. The Fiscal Stabilization Plan was recently enacted, and it calls for reductions of $6.652 million next year, and $7.524 million for 27-28.
“The district is trying to reduce areas that don’t impact the classroom,” Huynh said. “However, it’s inevitable, as 80-82% of our budget goes to staffing. The district leaders and board members have a tough decision to make.”
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