September 16, 2026

Dear Foothill-De Anza Community, 

 

As we begin this new academic year, I want to reflect on two important moments for our District: Monday’s adoption of the 2026–27 budget by our Board of Trustees and our District Opening Day. Together, they mark an important point in our transition to a Community-Supported District and invite us to think about where we are now and the future we are building together.

 

As I shared with you in June 2026, the District has entered a new chapter as a Community-Supported District, also known as Basic Aid. The Board’s action on September 14, 2026 gives us an important opportunity to begin putting this new financial framework into practice. 

 

Our mission remains the same. Our financial environment has changed. 

 

Access, equity, student success and educational excellence remain at the center of our work. What changes is how we plan, prioritize and make decisions about the resources entrusted to us. 

 

As a Community-Supported District, local property taxes are now our primary source of unrestricted revenue. For 2026–27, the District projects approximately $252.9 million in Unrestricted General Fund revenue, including $186.7 million in local property taxes. At the same time, our adopted budget projects approximately $256.4 million in expenditures and transfers, resulting in a projected operating deficit of $3.5 million. 

 

These numbers tell us something important: Being a Community-Supported District is an opportunity, but it is not a blank check. 

The benefits of Community-Supported funding are expected to grow over time as local property tax revenues compound. But we are still early in this transition, and we now carry greater responsibility for managing financial risks that previously would have been partially buffered by the state funding system. 

 

That means this is a year for thoughtful planning and disciplined decision-making. 

 

What this means for our work 

 

 First, even though enrollment is no longer the primary driver of revenue as it was under the Student-Centered Funding Formula, maintaining appropriate enrollment levels, monitoring trends closely, and ensuring that students successfully progress toward their educational goals is still key. 

 

Second, we need to be strategic about what we offer and how we invest. The new fiscal environment allows us to shift our philosophy from simply pursuing enrollment toward strengthening student success, while being intentional about programs, schedules, staffing and resource allocation. The adopted budget calls for districtwide strategic enrollment planning and the development of a new resource allocation model for the colleges. 

 

Third, we must strengthen our financial foundation. The adopted budget projects a June 30, 2027, fund balance of approximately $27.2 million, and a Stability Fund of approximately $7 million. Rebuilding our reserves will be an important part of our transition. The District’s long-term target is approximately $42.7 million in reserves and stability funds, consistent with the State Chancellor’s Office Fiscal Forward recommendation of two months of expenditures. 

 

And fourth, we need to plan beyond a single budget year. 

The 2026–27 academic year is our planning year. We are beginning the work of developing a longer-term framework that looks beyond immediate pressures and toward the District we want to be five years from now. That means asking difficult but necessary questions about enrollment, programs, staffing, processes and investments—and making decisions based on both our mission and our long-term sustainability. 

 

This is a transition we will navigate together 

 

I recognize that financial transitions can create uncertainty. Employees may have questions about what these changes mean for their programs, their work and our colleges. We will not have every answer immediately, and I do not believe we should pretend that we do. 

What I can promise is that we will approach this work with transparency, discipline, and a commitment to keeping our students and our mission at the center. 

 

We will continue to engage our faculty, classified professionals, administrators, students, and trustees as this work moves forward. We will also expand opportunities for our broader community to understand our financial position and participate in conversations about our future. 

 

The move to Community-Supported funding is more than a change in accounting or revenue. It is an opportunity to rethink how we steward the community’s investment in Foothill-De Anza. 

 

We have a strong foundation. We have extraordinary people. And we have an obligation to use this moment wisely—not simply to respond to the challenges in front of us, but to design a sustainable future that continues to provide access, advance equity and create opportunity for the students and communities we serve. 

 

 

Thank you for the care, professionalism and commitment you bring to Foothill-De Anza every day. I look forward to continuing this work together as one District, with a shared purpose and a clear eye toward the future. 

 

Sincerely,