The governing board of the Coronado Unified School District voted 5-0 to approve salary increases for Superintendent Karl Mueller and Deputy District Superintendent Donnie Salamanca. The decision, which came at last week’s March 13 school board meeting, will give both administrators a retroactive 3% salary increase effective July 1, 2024, and a 1% salary increase effective January 1, 2025.
The percentage of pay increase is the same given to other all district employees. It will make Mueller’s salary $261,366 as of July 2024 and $263,979 effective January 2025. Salamanca’s salary will be $225,086 and $227,337, respectively. All other terms in the agreements are unchanged, according to the district.
Board President Alexia Palacios-Peters said that the work of both the superintendent and the deputy superintendent is outstanding.
“There is competition with other school districts, and we want to make sure that we keep them here, keep them with us, and keep the district moving forward especially as we get close to Basic Aid,” said Palacios-Peters.
Earlier in the meeting, the board approved a positive certification of the second interim budget, which means the district is able to meet its financial obligations in the current and subsequent two fiscal years.
Salamanca shared that the district is projecting a decrease in federal revenue of about $200k, and a decrease in state revenues of $26k. However, there is a projected increase of $83k in local revenue which is most closely tied to facility rentals.
“We have a new renter that’s renting our facilities on an ongoing basis and we are recognizing some of those increased revenues,” he said.
Looking at expenditures, the district sees expenditures down about $143k in certificated salaries expense and no increase in classified salaries expense, despite recently approving salary increases for both. Salamanca says that’s due to a combination of factors, which includes lower use of substitutes and less time card activity. There’s also a decrease in earned leave, he said.
While the district is making intentional efforts to decrease time card activity and overtime, there are also some positions that have just been vacant. Later in the meeting, Association of Coronado Teachers representative Jennifer Landry said that teachers are still suffering from a lack of permanent instructional aides for their students, as well as substitute teachers.
“You’ve heard that these positions have been open all year,” said Landry. “Aids play an important role at each school site, and the lack of continuity and reliable substitutes negatively impacts teaching and learning.”
In addition to those decreased expenditures, Salamanca shared that there’s also a decrease in purchase of books and supplies, representing about $500k.
“We are intentionally trying to reduce costs and spending for nonessential items, so we are seeing the fruits of some of those recommendations,” he said.
According to Salamanca, the district is on the path to transition to a locally-funded, Basic Aid school in 2027-2028 school year, whereby the district will be fully funded by local property taxes. At that time, CUSD expects to see an increase in ongoing revenue of about $10 million a year.
But community members will have to temper expectations. It’s not going to be a “huge windfall,” according to Salamanca. He said it won’t really feel like CUSD is a Basic Aid district for at least a year or two.
“It’s exciting, but it will be a couple of years until we start seeing the fruits of that transition,” said Trustee Fitz Lee.
In addition, the district still won’t reach Basic Aid with the required 3% reserve. The San Diego County Office of Education, which oversees the district, will continue to pressure CUSD to identify budget solutions until it shows it can end up with $1.7 million in 2026-2027.
Trustee Mal Sandie thanked Salamanca for his consistency in presenting the budget, but shared that there might be another “unknown” on the horizon.
“There is change within the Department of Education and the federal government,” said Sandie. “We get 9% of our funds from the federal government which is $5.1 million. That’s something that could change the truth on us, potentially.”
The next budget study committee is April 23 at 3:45 at District Offices.
