INDIO, CA – In response to a staggering $60 million projected budget deficit, Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez (R-Indio) announced today that the Joint Legislative Audit Committee (JLAC) has officially approved his request to consider a full-scale audit of the Coachella Valley Unified School District (CVUSD).
The decision follows intensifying outrage from parents, faculty, staff, and taxpayers, who have demanded answers and accountability after years of questionable financial practices and mismanagement.
“This crisis didn’t happen overnight, and it didn’t happen by accident,” said Assemblyman Gonzalez. “The community deserves answers. They deserve transparency and they deserve to know who’s responsible.”
While district officials blame expired COVID-19 relief funds, Assemblyman Gonzalez and local advocates point to deeper, systemic failures. A 2023 audit by the Riverside County Office of Education had flagged a structural deficit as far back as 2019, raising serious concerns about long-term mismanagement at the highest levels of district leadership.
In the face of the deficit, CVUSD’s Board recently voted to cut over 300 staff positions, sparking alarm about the long-term impact on classrooms, student services, and educational outcomes.
“This is more than just a budget problem, this is a leadership failure,” Gonzalez said. “Our students, faculty and staff are paying the price for bad decisions they didn’t make. This audit is the first step toward restoring integrity, rebuilding trust and protecting the future of public education in the Coachella Valley.”
The Joint Legislative Audit Committee hearing is scheduled for June 18 in Sacramento, where legislators will formally review the audit request and next steps.
###