When I stepped into the role of superintendent of Vallejo City Unified School District in July 2024, I inherited a system facing dual pressures: the fiscal oversight of state receivership and the moral imperative to serve students better through difficult, strategic transformation. In the 12 months since, we have moved from triage to traction — closing budget gaps, right-sizing our school system, and laying the foundation for long-term student success.

Leading a district under state and county receivership is not a typical first-year challenge for most superintendents. Yet it has sharpened my leadership, clarified our priorities, and strengthened the trust between the governance team, staff and our broader community.

Understanding the terrain VCUSD has long faced significant enrollment declines. From over 20,000 students in the early 2000s to under 9,000 today, we’ve seen the effect of demographic shifts, charter competition and families leaving the district. At the same time, the district continued to operate 19 school sites, far more than current enrollment could sustain. Facilities were underutilized, and essential programs were spread too thin to reach their full potential.

Complicating this landscape was the district’s legacy of fiscal insolvency. The 2022-23 Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team report was clear: Vallejo needed an executable plan to address under-enrolled schools and rebuild its fiscal house. The recommendations weren’t optional. They were prerequisites to exiting receivership.

Strategic governance in action Our first year’s work began with establishing trust and a shared understanding of the district’s financial and academic challenges. We built out a new executive team, convened monthly budget oversight meetings with Solano County, and began implementing the corrective actions laid out in state and county reviews.

One of the most difficult but necessary actions was launching the district’s school closure and consolidation process. With support from Total School Solutions and legal guidance from Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost, we assembled a 7-11 Committee of community stakeholders tasked with assessing underutilized sites. Using an Equity Impact Analysis aligned with AB 1912 requirements, the committee evaluated schools not just for their operational costs, but for their proximity, access, academic offerings, and impact on students and families.

Community-centered closure In November 2024, the 7-11 Committee recommended the surplus designation of five school sites and the consolidation of students from Mare Island Health and Fitness Academy and Loma Vista Environmental Science Academy. These recommendations were difficult, but backed by robust public engagement, including town halls, board study sessions and community hearings.

AB 1912 requires that closure decisions center on equity, which we took seriously. We emphasized walkability for neighborhood students, protected specialized programs by co-locating them where feasible, and worked to ensure that no community would be left behind. Our board approved the first phase of closures in early 2025, unlocking over $2 million in facility savings and allowing the reallocation of staffing and resources to where they are most needed.

We also committed to a concierge-style transition for impacted families, including personalized enrollment assistance, transportation support and clear communication about their options. The goal was not just closure — it was repositioning the district for stronger service delivery and academic quality.

Fiscal stabilization and beyond In parallel with our facilities work, we made significant staffing adjustments aligned to enrollment and fiscal reality. This included the elimination or consolidation of over 70 FTEs across certificated, classified and administrative positions, many of which had been sustained by now-expired COVID relief funding.

We also cleaned up internal fiscal systems, tackled long-standing audit findings, and rebuilt budget forecasting tools with support from the Solano County Office of Education and our internal team. Our multi-year projections are now aligned with state requirements, and for the first time in over a decade, we are on track to meet our 3 percent reserve without relying on one-time revenue from property sales.

Lessons for other districts Leading through receivership has been both humbling and instructive. Here are three takeaways that I offer to fellow leaders across California:

1. Lead with transparency — even when the news is hard. 2. Ground decisions in data and equity. 3. Focus on what comes after closure.

Looking ahead As Vallejo City Unified exits its receivership status at the end of the 2024-25 school year, we know our work is not finished. But this first year has proven what’s possible with clarity of purpose, strong governance and honest engagement.

Our goal remains the same: to build a sustainable district that delivers excellent outcomes for every student. That means making hard decisions today to create a stronger, more equitable tomorrow.

Rubén Aurelio is superintendent of Vallejo City Unified School District. He previously served as superintendent of St. Helena Unified School District and has held multiple executive roles in K-12 education. Aurelio is focused on stabilizing and transforming school systems through fiscal responsibility, strategic governance, and community-centered leadership.