Conejo Valley School District Weighs Job Cuts to Address Budget Deficit

Proposed reductions include classified and administrative positions due to declining enrollment and expiring COVID-19 relief funds

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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The Conejo Valley Unified School District has voted to eliminate several job positions, both vacant and filled, as part of a multiyear plan to close a budget deficit. The cuts are driven by declining enrollment, rising costs, and the expiration of one-time COVID-19 relief funds. The district's board voted 5-0 to make the reductions, though they removed a handful of positions from the initial list.

Why it matters

The job cuts highlight the financial challenges facing school districts as they grapple with declining enrollment, rising costs, and the end of pandemic-related funding. The decision to eliminate positions, both vacant and filled, reflects the difficult choices districts must make to maintain financial stability.

The details

The proposed reductions include eliminating several classified positions such as heating and ventilation mechanics, groundskeepers, and custodians, as well as administrative roles like the director of maintenance and operations and the supervisor of special education paraeducators. The district also plans to cut some mental health-related positions due to federal funding issues.

  • The district's board voted on the job cuts during its February 4, 2026 meeting.
  • The board voted 5-0 to make the reductions at a subsequent meeting.

The players

Conejo Valley Unified School District

A public school district serving the Conejo Valley region of Ventura County, California.

Shauna Ashmore

The assistant superintendent of human resources for the Conejo Valley Unified School District.

Mark McLaughlin

The superintendent of the Conejo Valley Unified School District.

Amanda Morris

A teacher who fills one of the three itinerant teacher positions for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in the district.

Sue Blake

The administrative assistant for the maintenance and operations department in the Conejo Valley Unified School District.

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What they’re saying

“We recognize that reductions strictly through vacancies and attrition do not lead us to a balanced budget, and we have to look a little deeper and a little further.”

— Shauna Ashmore, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources (toacorn.com)

“Budget challenges are real, but cutting a position that directly safeguards access for students with disabilities should not be a last resort, and it shouldn't be an easy reduction because enrollment is low.”

— Amanda Morris, Itinerant Teacher for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students (toacorn.com)

“Just because they are vacant doesn't mean they are not needed. Ground staff are down to the bare bones. I myself was asked to provide my job duties to Dr. Hayek. The reason stated was that the retiring planning technician's duties needed to be shared out. How much more can we take?”

— Sue Blake, Administrative Assistant, Maintenance and Operations Department (toacorn.com)

“It sucks to have to go through any type of discussion on elimination of positions. We know that there are vacant positions here that we would all like to have filled so they can support our classrooms, our schools and our students. It's never easy to have to go through a reduction in force.”

— Mark McLaughlin, Superintendent (toacorn.com)

What’s next

The district's board will soon vote on whether to officially eliminate the proposed positions.

The takeaway

The job cuts in the Conejo Valley Unified School District reflect the difficult financial decisions facing school districts as they grapple with declining enrollment, rising costs, and the expiration of pandemic-related funding. The proposed reductions, which include both vacant and filled positions, highlight the need for districts to find ways to balance their budgets while minimizing the impact on students and staff.