Superintendent Loftus addressed questions heard in public comment, and presented additional information about the Reduction in Force process and how staffing adjustments are being implemented as part of ongoing fiscal stabilization efforts.
Understanding Administrator Ratios
Under California Education Code, an administrator is someone who holds an administrative credential and performs district or school management duties rather than teaching.
Typical positions that count as administrators according to Ed Code include:
- Superintendent
- Assistant/Associate Superintendent
- Director or Executive Director
- Principal
- Assistant or Vice Principal
- Other district-level management positions requiring an administrative credential
However, in many district organizational charts—including PRJUSD’s—certain specialized positions are classified as “management” for employment purposes even though they do not function as administrators in the traditional sense.
Management includes positions such as:
- Mental Health Therapists
- School Psychologists
- Occupational Therapists
- Confidential Secretaries
- Food Service Leadership
When these roles are counted together with principals and other administrators, it can create the impression that a district is “top-heavy,” even though the majority of those positions provide direct services to students or operational support rather than administrative oversight.
Although 82 positions appear under “management" on the PRJUSD organizational chart, many of those roles do not meet the California Education Code definition of an administrator, and PRJUSD remains well within the state’s recommended administrator-to-teacher ratios.
Understanding Alternative Funding
Superintendent Loftus explained that staff positions were reviewed and portions of salaries in IT and HR were shifted to LCAP, in accordance with the extra staffing required to support the goals outlined in the LCAP.
- The LCAP is 85%+ people. HR requires extra staff to support the ongoing recruitment and hiring process.
- A large investment is made each year in technology resources. IT has required more staff over time to support the upkeep of the device purchases made with LCAP funds.
While reductions were necessary, the district worked closely with school sites to preserve student supports wherever possible. Elementary counseling services will continue, with school sites contributing partial funding through their site-specific Title I resources, while the district will provide the remaining support via LCAP funding.
