SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — The Lake Tahoe Unified School District Board of Education met on September 10, 2026, with updates highlighting student achievement, school priorities, wellness efforts, District finances, and community partnerships.

Bijou and Meyers Share School Priorities and Academic Progress

Bijou Community School Principal Rosie DePierri and Meyers Elementary School Principal Heather Hart updated the Board on their schools’ 2026–27 School Plans for Student Achievement (SPSA).

Bijou’s focus areas include strong Tier 1 instruction, literacy and phonics, intervention, English Language Development, FOSS Science, Thinking Maps, new mathematics resources, student support, attendance, family engagement, and continued Community Schools work.

Meyers is focusing on strong connections, academic excellence, family engagement, and continued professional learning for staff. Hart also highlighted continued academic growth in English Language Arts, mathematics, and science.

Board Approves Updated Wellness Policy

Food Services Director Tammy Miller presented recommendations from the District Wellness Committee. The update includes exploring recess before lunch at elementary schools, giving students a full 20 minutes to eat lunch, and establishing consistent handwashing or hand-hygiene practices. The Board unanimously approved the updated Wellness Policy.

Employee Association Reports

South Tahoe Educators’ Association (STEA) President Nicole Mora thanked the Board and District for the opportunity to meet regarding salary negotiations. She said the District presented proposals related to the salary schedule, which STEA believes should be addressed through regular negotiations. STEA reiterated its request for a 4.31% COLA for STEA members and asked the District to reconsider how it prioritizes new state funding. 

Dr. Cutler thanked STEA representatives for meeting with the District. He acknowledged that the parties had not reached an agreement and that the Public Employment Relations Board had declared an impasse. Mediation is scheduled for October 12, 2026. Dr. Cutler stated that the lack of an agreement does not mean the District does not care about its employees and that the District will continue to look at opportunities based on Board direction and the District’s budget.

Board Approved the 2025–26 Unaudited Actuals

Chief Business Official Kelly Buttery provided the Board with a year-end look at the District’s finances for 2025–26. The District’s revenue was $61.9 million, and expenditures were $66.4 million. Because expenses exceeded revenue, the District used previous-year funds; this is called deficit spending. This makes careful management of ongoing expenses and maintaining an adequate reserve especially important.

The District ended the year with an ending fund balance of $7.3 million. Most of the ending fund balance is restricted, meaning it can be spent only on specific programs or purposes. Unrestricted funds provide the District with more flexibility to pay for ongoing operations and unexpected costs.

Buttery also reported that 86.2% of the District’s unrestricted General Fund expenditures went toward employee salaries and benefits. When restricted and unrestricted funds are combined, salaries and benefits accounted for 80.1% of all General Fund spending.

Trustee Mansfield expressed concern about the percentage of unrestricted funds being spent on salaries and benefits and emphasized the importance of protecting the District’s reserves and maintaining long-term financial stability.

District Highlights Marcella Foundation Partnership

During his Superintendent’s Report, Dr. Todd Cutler shared highlights from the Marcella Foundation Atrium Construction Kickoff and the future Makerspace and Career Technical Education opportunities for LTUSD students. Dr. Cutler emphasized how much the District values its partnership with the Marcella Foundation and its continued support of LTUSD students.

Watch the meeting: The September 10 Board meeting and other LTUSD Board meetings are available on the Lake Tahoe Unified School District YouTube channel.