Amid a projected $60 million budget shortfall, Coachella Valley Unified School District is pushing back against a request from Assemblymember Jeff Gonzalez for a “full-scale audit” before the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, pointing instead to its current oversight efforts and reform initiatives.
In a statement released Friday evening, CVUSD emphasized its ongoing partnership with the Riverside County Office of Education and highlighted the findings of a comprehensive forensic audit conducted by the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team, a state-funded agency which evaluated the district’s financial health in both 2019 and 2025.
The most recent findings were summarized by a financial adviser with FCMAT at the district’s board meeting in March, but the extensive report is also publicly available on FCMAT’s website.
If approved by JLAC, it remains unclear how the proposed audit would differ from the existing FCMAT report, as state law prohibits the California State Assembly from discussing any details — including the scope, approach or potential findings — until the audit is complete.
The news release characterized Gonzalez’s request as premature, suggesting that “new politicians usually need to learn their community and the systems within those cities which include school districts.”
“We recognize that systemic change takes time-often several years—to take full effect. This year marks the beginning of this critical process. Our efforts are focused on ensuring accountability, achieving fiscal solvency, and right-sizing CVUSD to protect the educational experience of our students,” Superintendent Frances Esparza said in the release.
She added that CVUSD’s students deserve leaders who either understand K-12 education or are willing to learn the systems needed to help students succeed — and that district officials plan to share that message at the Joint Legislative Audit Committee hearing in Sacramento on June 18.
“We will continue to defend the great work taking place in the district and in our school community throughout the Cities of Coachella, Thermal, Mecca, North Shore, Oasis, Salton City, and areas in the City of Indio and La Quinta,” Esparza said.
Jennifer Cortez covers education in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at jennifer.cortez@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: CVUSD pushes back on audit request from Assemblymember Jeff Gonzalez