The San Mateo Union High School District board meets Thursday, Aug. 13, one day after Burlingame High students return to class, with a public hearing on declining enrollment that could affect how much state funding the district receives per student.
The hearing centers on the Student Support and Professional Development Discretionary Block Grant, a state program that distributes roughly $937 per student based on average daily attendance.
When enrollment drops, so does the money.
The 2026-27 state budget set the grant at $5 billion statewide, nearly double last year's $2.8 billion, and it can be spent on professional development, teacher recruitment and addressing rising costs through fiscal year 2028-29. The California Association of Suburban School Districts warned in a May advocacy letter that declining-enrollment districts face a collision of fixed costs and shrinking revenue, making the block grant especially critical for districts like SMUHSD.
Budget pressure is already visible. On Feb. 5, the board voted 5-0 to approve reductions in force for both certificated and classified staff. Board members Teri Chavez, Jennifer Jacobson, Greg Land, Ligia Andrade Zuniga and Robert Griffin were all present for that vote.
Yet Burlingame High itself is bucking the district trend. Principal Jen Fong told The Burlingame B student newspaper in May that BHS expects about 50 more students than a typical incoming class for the 2026-27 school year. "The community of Burlingame opened up mixed-income housing over the last couple of years, and that's caused an increase in the population of the Burlingame neighborhood, which is then going to cause an increase in enrollment at Burlingame High School," Fong said.
Facilities update
The board will also hear a Facilities Master Plan update from DLR Group, the architecture firm hired in December 2025 to lead district-wide planning. The process launched in September 2025 when trustees approved a request for qualifications.
At Burlingame High, a summer Classroom Transformation Project wrapped up Aug. 7, modernizing classrooms with new furniture, technology, flooring and dimmable LED lighting. The work was funded by Measure L, the $385 million bond voters approved in 2020. The BHS gym replacement project remains ongoing, with a change order approved in December 2025.
Salary schedules and other business
Trustees are set to approve the 2026-27 classified salary schedule and a tentative agreement with California School Employees Association Chapter 519, along with revised miscellaneous and confidential employee salary schedules. A separate AB1200 public hearing, required by state law before approving new compensation agreements, is also on the agenda.
Other items include MOUs with San Jose State University, a pilot advisory program at Hillsdale High School and continuation of adult ESL classes through a partnership with San Bruno Park School District.
How to participate
The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at 650 N. Delaware St., San Mateo. Residents can also join via Zoom (Webinar ID: 955 8452 1141; Passcode: 995656). Public comments are limited to three minutes; written comments can be emailed to [email protected]. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Aug. 27.
