MCSD Regular Board Meeting January 27th 2026

The Merced City School District held its regular board meeting on January 27, 2026, focusing on several procurement and budget-related topics. Key discussions included the district's demographic and enrollment projections, highlighting a significant drop of 256 students impacting funding and future planning. The board reviewed the 2025 annual audit report, which showed no financial or federal findings but noted two state findings related to classroom teacher salaries, with plans to address these. A major agenda item was the presentation and discussion of a safety platform called Stiggics, intended to enhance emergency response across district sites, with funding proposed from bond measures and ELOP funds. The board also reviewed the district's one-time funded position plan, detailing various grants supporting staff positions and the challenges of sustaining these roles amid declining enrollment and funding uncertainties. Additionally, the board approved contracts for afterschool and summer programs, including a $263,640 contract with UC Merced for the 2026 Bobcat Summer Academy, though some members expressed concerns about the fairness and transparency of the request for application (RFA) process. The meeting included policy discussions on board policy revisions and emphasized the need for equitable vendor opportunities and transparent contract approval processes. Several motions were passed related to contract approvals and policy updates, with commitments to improve communication and oversight of procurement activities moving forward.