Petaluma City Schools has unanimously approved $6 million in budget cuts for the 2026-27 school year, a move board members described as “necessary but awful.”
According to the Petaluma Argus-Courier, the decision triggers layoff notices for 60 full-time positions, including counselors, nurses, and an elementary music teacher. Students will also see reductions in elective programs like agriculture, auto shop, and robotics.
Superintendent Matthew Harris pointed to declining enrollment and the fact that Petaluma receives some of the lowest per-pupil funding in Sonoma County as the driving forces behind the “impossible choice.”
While a priority list for restoring positions exists, Board President Mady Cloud warned that the district’s fiscal reality makes it unlikely many will return this year.