Despite projected declines in enrollment and attendance next school year, the Conejo Valley Unified School District expects revenue to increase by nearly $14 million and its fund balance to grow by more than $8 million.
Proposed Budget
The district’s proposed 2026-27 budget projects $259.7 million in revenue and $252 million in expenditures, resulting in an $8.1 million surplus. By the end of the fiscal year, the district expects its fund balance to increase from $29.5 million to $37.6 million.
“While the district is projecting a modest decline in enrollment from 15,443 to 15,313 students and a related ADA decline from 14,688 to 14,587, the district is not projecting an overall loss in state revenue year over year,” said Kimberly Gold, CVUSD’s coordinator of communications. “For 2026-27, state funding is expected to increase by approximately $5.7 million.”
Despite the growing balance, the district’s deputy superintendent of business services, Victor Hayek, said CVUSD must remain vigilant. “The budget is positioned to sustain a positive fund balance for us, but we still need to maintain fiscal discipline,” said Hayek. “Spending is tied to staffing and our recurring operational costs, which are directly impacted by enrollment, and enrollment continues on a downward trend.”
Enrollment Decline
According to the budget proposal, the district’s average daily attendance, or ADA, is projected to decline by 101 students in 2026-27, while enrollment is expected to fall by 130 students from the previous year. Conejo Valley is not alone in facing declining enrollment. Public school enrollment statewide is projected to decline by nearly 1 million students by 2031, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
State officials have attributed the decline to persistently low birth rates and reduced immigration. The budget allocates $143 million for salaries, including teachers, counselors and custodians. Employee benefits account for an additional $64 million, while $29 million is budgeted for services and operating expenses.
Spending on books and supplies is projected to increase by nearly 60%, rising from $8 million to $13 million in a single year. District officials said the increase is largely driven by the adoption of a new math curriculum costing approximately $5 million.
“Regardless of its size,” said Gold, “CVUSD is, and will continue to be, an exceptional school district where students can learn and grow.”
Original reporting: Thousand Oaks Acorn — read the source article.
