Marysville Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees

The 2014-2015 Grand Jury has identified and confirmed a lack of communication between the Superintendent and the MJUSD Board of Trustees. The 2013-2014 Grand Jury identified a perceived conflict of interest that occurred within the Marysville Joint Unified School District (MJUSD). The 2014-2015 Grand Jury has confirmed through multiple interviews with MJUSD Board Members and other MJUSD staff and employees that the MJUSD Superintendent did not inform the MJUSD Board of potential conflict of interest, State Code Infractions and the violation of State of California Government Code 1090 concerning Contractual Conflicts of Interest (http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi- bin/displaycode?section=gov&group=01001-02000&file=1090-1099). The 2014-2015 Grand Jury has also confirmed through interviews that the Superintendent did not communicate with the Board of a potential violation of established board by-laws (Board By-Laws 9270 http://www.mjusd.k12.ca.us/board/policies) by hiring an employee with known affiliations or connections to district contractors and who therefore had a potential conflict of interest (http://www.yubacourts.org/divisions/grand-jury/reports).

The 2014-2015 Grand Jury has additionally identified a lack of communication between the Superintendent and the MJUSD Board of Trustees. The Superintendent did not communicate to the MJUSD Board of potential illegal contracts or contract bid splitting of the demolition of MJUSD facilities. It was reported to the Grand Jury through interviews that the Superintendent was aware of, and allowed, the contract splitting of demolition of facilities. The Superintendent did not seek prior approval from the Board for the demolition. As a result, a lawsuit was filed by the lowest bidder and an out of court settlement cost the MJUSD approximately double the work completed. (Board Meeting Minutes, Audio and Written, http://www.mjusd.k12.ca.us)

The 2014-2015 Grand Jury identified that the MJUSD Board does not properly provide the public with board meeting agendas. Grand Jury members attended numerous Board meetings and could not locate the agendas posted in some of the stated locations. The MJUSD Board does not properly provide the public with the meeting agenda as specified in the published MJUSD Board Meeting Agendas. 2014-2015 Yuba County Grand Jury Final Report Marysville Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees See below MJUSD Notification of Meetings as stated in every Board Meeting Agenda: Notification of Meetings To provide the public with information about what will be on each board meeting agenda, a public notice is published in the newspaper on Thursday prior to a regularly scheduled board meeting listing items of interest being considered by the Board. In addition, a copy of every board meeting agenda is posted at all schools, sent to each PTA President and School Site Council Chairperson, posted on the district website, and available for review at the following locations: District Office “Public Notice Bulletin Board,” Yuba County Library, and the Chamber of Commerce. The Grand Jury identified that the MJUSD Board does not properly provide the public with information on the MJUSD Office Public Notice Bulletin Board, Board Meeting Location, and various schools, County Library or the Chamber of Commerce.

Through interviews, the 2014-2015 Grand Jury has found the Superintendent and MJUSD Board have not established district goals and objectives for the MJUSD Superintendent for each succeeding year, no later than 15 June of the new school year as stipulated in Current Employment Contract between Superintendent and the Governing Board of the of the Marysville Joint Unified School District of Yuba County, California. Interviews with Board Members confirmed that the Superintendent and the MJUSD Board did not establish District goals and objectives by June 15, 2014. The Contract states that the Board evaluates the MJUSD Superintendent with the Contract, Job Description, District Goals and Objectives as established by the Board and Superintendent, and the Superintendent Self-Evaluation. The District goals and objectives are a portion of the MJUSD Superintendent evaluation. The Superintendent and the Board are in violation of the current Contract stipulation to jointly establish goals and objectives and reduce to writing for the current school year no later than June 15 of each subsequent year.

The 2014-2015 Grand Jury has confirmed through interviews from MJUSD employees, staff and Board members that a hostile work environment exists within the Marysville Joint Unified School District. Fear of reprisal, retaliation, retribution and loss of job or position has been given to the Grand Jury as 2014-2015 Yuba County Grand Jury Final Report Marysville Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees examples. Interviews have also revealed loss of faith in the MJUSD system along with fear of speaking to Board members. Employees and staff have expressed that intimidation and manipulation exists within the District. The Grand Jury identified the formal MJUSD system Uniform Complaint Procedures, Board Policy 1312, (http://www.mjusd.k12.ca.us/board/policies). Interviews with District employees, staff and Board members indicated that this is a cumbersome and non-confidential system and is not being utilized. District employees and staff members stated they fear use of this system will result in possible reprisal, retaliation, retribution and loss of job or position.