The Central Unified School Board unanimously approved a resolution to formally oppose the city of Fresno’s Southeast Development Area plan on Tuesday night.

The resolution affirms the School Board’s stance against SEDA and permits administrators to convey this stance to city officials and the community.

Trustees said they opposed the city’s plans to grow there “on the grounds that (SEDA) conflicts with the district’s mission to serve, grow, and sustain the communities west of Highway 99.”

“I have seen the neglect that happens when you live on the west side of the (Highway) 99,” said trustee Karla Kirk. “I do see the impact this has on our entire district, and I do not support SEDA.”

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Central Unified Trustees Demand Investments in West Fresno

Several trustees called for investments in west Fresno, an area often referred to as “Forgotten Fresno” by its residents.

“SEDA isn’t in our district, but this vote is absolutely about our district,” said trustee Harman Singh. “This isn’t to say we shouldn’t expand elsewhere, but this is saying where we are first, we should have completed neighborhoods.”

Trustee Nabil Kherfan echoed this sentiment, while recognizing the current housing shortage that has led to declining enrollment. The Central Unified area is primed for further development and can accommodate Fresno’s housing needs, he said.

Last October, the Fresno City Council unanimously passed the West Area Neighborhoods Specific Plan. The land-use document guides growth west of Highway 99.

Mayor Jerry Dyer office said Wednesday that he would not be commenting for the story.

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Community Members Support Decision

Prior to the vote, multiple community members addressed the board, encouraging trustees to approve the item.

“You have an item agenda opposing SEDA in front of you that may feel like a decision about whether to take a stance,” said April Henry, CEO of Highway City Community Development. “But what’s really in front of you is whether you will stand up for the students and families or stay silent while decisions are made that will deeply impact them and our entire community.”

Speakers called for investments in preexisting neighborhoods, raised fiscal concerns, and applauded trustees’ “bravery.”

In the past, community members have asked trustee Jaspreet Sidhu to take action against the development plan, he said.

“What we can do as a board, we will. And this is the first step,” Sidhu said.

Kerman Mayor Maria Pacheco, who is currently running for the Board of Supervisors District 1 seat, vowed to take the resolution with her and “continue to reiterate it in lots of different places.”

Fresno City Councilmember Mike Karbassi, who is also vying for the District 1 seat, had no comment about the resolution. He favors gaining more information and conducting further research before making a decision about the development plan, he told GV Wire.

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Concerns About Student Resources Arise

Central Unified serves almost 16,000 students, a number that slightly exceeds pre-pandemic levels. But recently, chronic absenteeism in Central Unified has worsened, which lowers the amount of state funding the district receives.

The resolution does not address enrollment directly but mentions resources, dependent on ADA-based funding, multiple times.

Documents highlight the need for “culturally and linguistically sustaining programs,” such as career technical education and dual language immersion, to support the diverse region.  Around 80% of students are socioeconomically disadvantaged, 13% are English learners, and 1% are foster youth.

Last school year, 44% of district students met or exceeded English Language Arts standards, and 30% of students met or exceeded math standards. ELA scores match pre-pandemic levels, but math results lag behind by almost 3%.

Fresno Unified and SEDA

The 9,000-acre SEDA falls within Clovis Unified and Sanger Unified boundaries. Both school districts have higher state testing scores than Central Unified and Fresno Unified.

Earlier this year, Fresno Unified voted to table a resolution that opposed SEDA. Supporters of the resolution claimed that Fresno Unified would lose students and be forced to lose close numerous schools if SEDA became a reality.

The resolution opposing SEDA will reappear on the Fresno Unified agenda in May.