Where’s the Money Going? Inside SBCUSD’s Budget Battles and Broken Promises

When San Bernardino City Unified School District received tens of millions in state and federal funding over the past few years, including a historic boost from COVID relief funds, parents and teachers hoped it would be a turning point.

But two years later, test scores haven’t improved. Chronic absenteeism is climbing. And at many schools, the library is closed more often than it’s open.

So where’s the disconnect?

The Data Doesn’t Lie

In the 2023–24 academic year, SBCUSD received over $1 billion in total funding, including ESSER grants, increased state base grants, and targeted funds for low-income and English learner students. That amounts to over $20,000 per student, well above the national average.

Yet according to the latest state testing data:

• Only 24% of SBCUSD students met or exceeded math standards.
• Chronic absenteeism remains above 30% across the district.
• Less than half of 11th graders say they feel “very prepared” for college or a career.

Where the Funds Went

SBCUSD did spend money, but not always where stakeholders expected:

• Administrative salaries increased, including the creation of new executive roles.
• Consulting firms were brought in for district-wide “equity audits” and branding strategies.
• Several schools received new Chromebooks, but others still lack working projectors, reliable internet, or basic custodial staff.

Teachers say much of the money never reached the classroom.

“We were told funding would help reduce class sizes and bring in mental health counselors,” said one middle school teacher. “Instead, we got flyers and district-wide Zoom trainings.”

Students Left Behind,

At San Bernardino High School, the campus once had a thriving after-school arts program. Today, it’s reduced to a single club that meets once a week, run by a volunteer.

One junior told The Arias Journal, “We hear about all this money the district has, but we still don’t have paper towels in the bathrooms half the time.”

Meanwhile, students at Arroyo Valley report a shortage of counselors, with some waiting weeks to get seen for academic or mental health help.

Is Anyone Accountable?

The school board has yet to issue a clear explanation for how COVID-19 relief funds were prioritized. In public meetings, budget charts are presented, but line-item transparency is limited.

“It feels like the district wants to be applauded for how much money it has, but not questioned on how it’s spent,” said a parent from Ward 5.

Final Thought: More Doesn’t Mean Better

Money can’t solve everything, but it should at least move the needle. In San Bernardino, it hasn’t. Until district leadership explains how student performance, not PR, is guiding its priorities, families will continue asking:

What exactly are we investing in?