(Español) Meeting of the Board of Education, October 21st, 2026

At its October 21, 2026 Board of Education meeting, the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) considered a procurement change for school enrichment services. The Board discussed a solicitation with 86 eligible providers and a stated $1.5 million spending limit or estimate for services across schools. Not all providers are guaranteed contracts; agreements could run for up to five years, with another solicitation required afterward. Staff said the district would move away from bringing individual school contracts to the Board for approval and would publish approved providers and school offerings online. A Board member raised questions about equitable distribution of funds and contract extensions. The consent calendar, which included routine purchase orders, passed; Member López recorded a “yes” vote except on item 20 over concerns about equitable resource allocation. No vendor awards were identified by name.

The Board also approved closing the Edison and Gompers elementary schools at the end of the school year, despite extensive public opposition, and approved revised attendance boundaries. The superintendent cited a projected $45 million operating deficit and estimated about $2.8 million in savings from the closures; the superintendent said further cost reductions and revenue measures would still be needed. Members discussed transitions, transportation, special education services, and future uses of the school sites, including avoiding long-term vacancy, but no site lease or redevelopment contract was approved. Public speakers also raised concerns about school safety and facilities, including recent modernization investment at Gompers; those remarks did not result in a procurement award.