Fresno Unified educators and community members are pushing back against principal and vice principal reassignments, voicing concerns to district leadership and trustees.
The district is directing the lateral movement of five principals and 26 vice principals, prompting widespread concern across school sites.
During the last school board meeting, parents and staff from several schools made their disapproval known.
“There’s moments in time when change is needed, and other moments when change comes along to distract and disrupt the structure that is being forged,” said Lucia Herrera, a parent of two Herrera Elementary School students.
She was among a crowd of Herrera Elementary parents and staff who petitioned for the school’s vice principal to remain on site. Speakers from Duncan Polytechnical High School and Mayfair Elementary School also voiced opposition, with some becoming emotional during public comment.
Despite community outcry, the district will not reconsider the lateral movements, which had already been carefully planned, according to district spokesperson AJ Kato.
“Lateral placements occur every year. Healthy cultures are built and sustained by staff, students and leaders, not any one person,” Kato said. “We are confident that the changes will improve progress and outcomes for all Fresno Unified sites in alignment with our district goals.”
Administrators at Malloch Elementary School and Turner Elementary School are also among those affected and undergoing reassessment.
At the time of publication, the district is compiling a comprehensive list of impacted sites.
Why Fresno Unified Is Reassigning Principals and Vice Principals
Fresno Unified School District has taken several measures to address a significant budget deficit, including offering early retirement incentives and eliminating positions.
Employees whose positions were eliminated are going through a “bumping” process, which reassigns them elsewhere in the district.
Early retirements have also opened leadership vacancies, bringing in new principals and prompting the district to pair some new administrators with experienced vice principals.
The district said the reassignments are also driven by community needs, efforts to balance administrative teams, build systemwide capacity, and provide development opportunities for aspiring leaders, according to Kato.
Still, some community members worry the loss of experienced leadership will negatively affect school stability.
Trustee Susan Wittrup said she was disappointed in the reassignment process and said multiple parents contacted her about it, citing a lack of communication.
“I understand the need for changes, but there is a way to go about it that is less disruptive,” Wittrup said. “It is difficult for the community to understand abrupt changes with no communication.”
Kato said the district began communicating with school sites in February.
“Sites were communicated with as they are every time a lateral change is made in administrative staffing,” she said. “This year, communication to affected school teams began in February, although final placements were recently finalized after hiring all principals at the May 27 board meeting.”
Trustee Valerie Davis said student needs remain the district’s priority.
”Student outcomes will change when adult behavior change,” she said, repeating the board’s student outcomes-focused governance slogan.
Trustee Keshia Thomas declined to comment. The remaining trustees did not respond to requests for comment.
FTA Gets Involved
The Fresno Teachers Association posted two social media posts expressing disappointment in the decision and sharing educator concerns.
The posts included a letter signed by about 35 Malloch Elementary educators asking Superintendent Misty Her to reconsider the reassignments.
“Too often, leaders who have lost the confidence of their staff remain in place, while leaders who have built strong relationships and thriving school communities are reassigned,” the post states. “When those decisions happen without meaningful input from educators and families, people naturally ask what factors are driving them.”
FTA President Manuel Bonilla said he has received more calls, texts, and emails about the decision than at any other point in his tenure as president.
Bonilla did not respond to a request for comment from GV Wire.
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