Board Briefs: April 14, 2026

Here are a few highlights from the April 14 board meeting (the agenda packet is available):

Board discusses instructional materials adoptions

It is essential that students and teachers continue to have access to current, standards-aligned instructional materials that support rigorous, meaningful teaching and learning. To address this need, San Juan Unified recruited teachers and community members to review and recommend new instructional materials. Staff provided key information related to the process:

• The process committees used to review instructional materials and arrive at each recommendation
• Information about the specific recommendations and feedback from the pilot
• Plans to support the implementation of adopted materials

Materials are recommended for adoption for the following areas:

• High School World History
• High School United States History
• Advanced Placement African American Studies
• Advanced Placement Human Geography
• Advanced Placement Psychology
• Chicano Studies
• Grades TK-5 Math
• Grades 6-8 Math World Languages
• American Sign Language 1-4
• Chinese International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme 1 - International Baccalaureate 2 High Level
• Spanish for Heritage Learners 2 and 3

Action is anticipated at the April 28 board meeting.

Board receives update on rollout and implementation of the district's strategic plan

The San Juan Unified Strategic Plan, 2024-2029, was adopted by the board in May of 2024 after a year-long development process. This year, the district worked to develop more focused goals to support the strategic plan outcomes identified by our community. While work on many of the identified goals continues through the end of the school year, there is exciting progress to share. 

Strategic Direction 1 focuses on student achievement. Areas of focus for the year under Strategic Direction 1 have included early literacy and grades 3-8 math as measured by winter 2025 to winter 2026 i-Ready data. Both areas show growth: the number of students scoring at or above grade level in early literacy is up 2.7%, and in grades 3-8 math, up 0.9%. 

Strategic Direction 2 highlights our efforts to meet the needs of each learner and member of our greater community with the resources and services they need. One initiative this year has been working to collaboratively develop a co-teaching model to support our special education high school teachers. Staff from eight of our high schools jumped into this work over the summer, and a dedicated workgroup continues to drive it to support the delivery of instruction in general education settings for our special education students. 

Strategic Direction 3 asks us to develop systems and structures that support our employees and streamline processes. The district's human resources team launched an effort to ensure accuracy of seniority lists, which are foundational to many district HR processes, by making them more transparent and accessible to staff. In January and February, staff members were provided with their individual standing in seniority, with the HR team collecting feedback to improve the process next year. 

Strategic Direction 4 guides our efforts to engage families and community partners in the educational process. Chronic absenteeism has grown significantly in schools across the nation since the 2020 pandemic. This year, the district worked to develop additional supports for students and families, and year-to-date has seen more than a 2 percent reduction in the district's chronic absenteeism rate. 

2026-27 will mark the midway point of the district's current five-year strategic plan and signal the need to check in on our direction and progress. A collaborative review and update process will be launched next fall to ensure the district remains focused on current needs and opportunities to support our students. 

In other news…

• The board adopted resolutions recognizing the week of April 19-25 as Adult Education Week and April 28 as California School Bus Drivers’ Appreciation Day.
• Staff provided an update on technology.
• The board adopted a resolution accepting the 2026 Level I Developer Fee Justification Study and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) exemption. 
• Additionally, the board held a public hearing and adopted a resolution updating the district’s statutory developer fees and declaring the change in fees exempt from CEQA.
• The board approved the proposed board meeting dates for the 2026-27 school year.

The next regular board meeting will be held on April 28 at 6:30 p.m. Visit www.sanjuan.edu/boardmeeting for details. You can also view videos of prior board meetings at www.sanjuan.edu/boardvideo.