# Pajaro Valley Unified School District 11/09/2026


**Body:** CTV Santa Cruz County
**Date:** November 08, 2026
**Jurisdiction:** SLED

**Tags:** Education, Professional Services


The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees held a special meeting on November 9, 2026, to interview firms for a superintendent search. The firms discussed community and student input, candidate recruitment and screening, confidentiality, transition support, and the challenges facing the district, including budget pressures, possible school closures, and strained relationships. McPherson & Jacobson quoted $28,200, with a trustee estimating that the district could save about $3,700 by taking on some search work itself. Other firms presented, but their prices were not stated in the transcript.

Trustees weighed each firm’s preparation, community-engagement approach, California experience, candidate tracking, and costs. Some favored McPherson & Jacobson; others highlighted strengths of ESS and Zeal. No firm was selected and no procurement vote was taken. Trustees discussed deferring the decision to the regular meeting on November 18 to allow further community input, particularly in light of the incoming board members; one trustee noted they would be unable to attend that meeting. The search process is intended to include community feedback while preserving the board’s responsibility for selecting the superintendent.

**Source:** CTV Santa Cruz County