Submitted by David Alfano, BET Member; Nisha Arora, BET Member; Lucia Jansen, BET Member; and Paul Cappiali, Board of Education Member
As Republican members of the BET, joined by Board of Education member Paul Cappiali, we’ve consistently emphasized that budget savings should come from efficiencies — not from cuts to critical community programs.
That’s why we were deeply concerned by the recent BOE vote to alter high school start times, a disruption we believe is unnecessary. Restoring this funding would allow the district to avoid this change and maintain the current schedule.
We urge the BOE to call a special meeting and formally request an interim appropriation — the appropriate next step under our charter. Should they do so, we are prepared to support a $1,957,842 interim allocation.
This moment calls for urgent action — and a clear understanding of the facts. The BET did not mandate changes to high school start times. That decision was made by the BOE, which had — and still has — alternatives. The Superintendent’s claim that the BET failed to fund “basic operational needs” ignores both the $8 million increase we approved and the many areas of potential savings that remain untouched.
Unfortunately, the Democratic BET chair failed to lead a bipartisan path forward when it mattered most. And while Republican leadership could have done more to build consensus, the breakdown ultimately reflects a missed opportunity to find middle ground before key decisions were made. That’s a failure of process — and it’s why we’re stepping up now to offer a clear solution.
We continue to believe that student-centered solutions are possible without resorting to disruption. If the BOE makes a formal request, we are prepared to act swiftly to restore this critical funding through an interim appropriation — so students aren’t caught in the crossfire of budget politics.
Sincerely,
David Alfano, BET Member
Nisha Arora, BET Member
Lucia Jansen, BET Member
Paul Cappiali, Board of Education Member