With the SCUSD facing a financial deficit of $30 million, budget cuts are back on the table and set to bring changes in the upcoming 2026-2027 school year.
One of the driving factors in the budget deficit is the declining population of the district, especially after COVID-19, when many companies adapted to virtual working, allowing people to work from anywhere. Social science teacher David Ledesma has observed, however, that the issue extends far beyond the Santa Clara district line.
“Lots of people left the Bay Area. California has lost House of Representatives seats because the population of the entire state has gone down. People have moved from a higher tax state, California, to lower tax states like Texas or Tennessee,” Ledesma said. “That’s just economics. Removing taxpayer dollars means there’s less money available. Less money, but also people are leaving. Fewer people, fewer human beings, fewer butts in the seats because people are moving away because it’s cheaper to live somewhere else.”…