WCCUSD pushes back COVID-19 vaccine mandate deadline to Feb. 18

Mike Aldax

4 years ago

WCCUSD proposes 10% staff cut to pay for 8% raises and close $127 million deficit The West Contra Costa Unified School District has proposed a 10% staff reduction across all unions to help fund recently negotiated 8% salary increases and address a looming $127 million structural deficit. During a January 14 budget presentation, district staff revealed that the 10% workforce cut is a central part of a $60 million savings plan needed over the next three years to keep the district from falling into state receivership. This fiscal crisis stems from the gap between these higher labor costs and a significant decline in state revenue. The proposed layoffs would impact approximately 140 full-time positions within the United Teachers of Richmond alone. Acting Associate Superintendent Jeff Carter informed the board that the district must slash $3.1 million in the 2025–2026 school year, followed by a much larger $42.4 million cut in 2026–2027 and a final $14.2 million the following year. In addition to reducing staff, the district is exploring the "right-sizing" of its school network by merging or closing under-enrolled campuses, which could save an estimated $11.3 million. To maintain daily operations in the meantime, the district is rapidly depleting its emergency reserves. Officials confirmed that a $28.5 million special reserve fund will be completely exhausted, while another $13 million is being withdrawn annually from retiree health benefit accounts. These recommendations will now move to the Board of Education, which is expected to begin formal discussions and voting on specific school closures and layoff notices throughout February.

The West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) Board of Education voted at its Wednesday meeting to extend the district’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate deadline for students ages 12 years and older to Feb. 18. The original deadline was Jan. 3, which is the first day of instruction following the winter break.

The extended deadline follows district data that showed that 4,944 of eligible students have been confirmed to be fully vaccinated as of Monday, just 40.6 percent of eligible students. The remaining students are either partially vaccinated, unvaccinated and/or haven’t responded to report their vaccination status as of Dec. 13.

Meanwhile, the district’s Virtual Academy (Independent Study), a program that will serve the vast majority of unvaccinated students, already has a waitlist, the district said.

“While staff have been working hard to increase the Virtual Academy capacity in anticipation of a higher demand for those services, a significant increase of students in that program January, potentially in the thousands, will be difficult – if not impossible – to serve under the current model,” the district said.

WCCUSD Superintendent Kenneth Chris Hurst said families should continue to operate “with a sense of urgency to vaccinate students as quick as possible.”

“Experts agree that the fastest way out of the pandemic is vaccination, and the safety of our students and staff is our top priority,” the superintendent said in a note to the district community. “We will continue to partner with Contra Costa County Health Services to provide vaccine clinics on our school sites in 2022. Click here to see Vaccine Clinic Resources.”

Students can submit their vaccination card here.

For more information on WCCUSD’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, visit here.