$43 Million Budget Crisis Forces Sacramento Unified to Weigh Costly Cuts

The Sacramento City Unified School District revealed during its September 13 meeting that it has exceeded its budget by $43 million for the 2024-25 academic year. This shortfall is primarily due to unexpected year-end expenses such as salaries, educational materials, contracts, special education, and maintenance.Chief Business Officer Janea Marking warned that projections indicate Sac Unified will fall below the required 2% reserve this school year and through 2027-28, risking oversight from the Sacramento County Office of Education and possible budget reductions. Chief Communications Officer Brian Heap stressed that, although the district achieved a positive budget certification in March, it now faces significant financial hurdles.To mitigate the situation, the district initiated a spending freeze on non-essential hiring, contracts, travel, supplies, and overtime as of October 1. Meanwhile, Nikki Davis-Milevsky, president of the Sacramento City Teachers Association, advocated for cuts away from classrooms and highlighted the need for administrative reductions to regain financial flexibility. Community leader Carl Pinkston echoed these concerns, fearing that budget reallocations would adversely affect marginalized groups and lead to severe consequences.