As of mid-April 2026, support is mounting for the “Protect Ventura’s Kids: Fair Pay and Health Care for the Staff Who Keep Schools Running” petition that has garnered over 500 signatures and counting. Nicholas Guerra ’28, a student at Foothill Technology High School, started the petition in March, hoping to reach a larger audience about inequities as well as pending school closures in the Ventura Unified School District (VUSD).

Due to facing a predicted structural deficit of $12.3 million, budget cuts have been made within the district in an attempt to save $3 million annually. There are negligible raises, risks towards health care benefits, as well as cuts being made to the positions and pay of school staffing, even though salaries continue to increase for top administrative roles and the district is maintaining over triple the state minimum required reserve funds — 10.25 percent compared to the mandatory 3 percent. With VUSD enrollment dropping by around 300 students per year, schools are currently undergoing review for closure through a new School Closures Advisory Committee, which first met on March 19, 2026.

“I decided to start looking into things and I saw how the district has been [taking] a lot of [actions] that are harmful to students and the staff that support the students … They want to cut jobs, and not only that, but they want to put a hard cap on the teacher healthcare benefits; they only want to give them a 2 percent raise and a $5,000 cash-in-lieu pay,” Guerra said.

With health insurance costs rising each year, many families do not view the potential 2 percent raise and $5,000 cash-in-lieu payment as sufficient for staff who work with children to further their education. Not only is this considered inadequate, but the district also authorized cutting “20 certificated full-time equivalent positions,” four of which are management or administrative, along with “26.5 classified full-time equivalent positions,” none of which are management or administrative, according to the Ventura County Star.

“It makes teaching worthwhile when your students appreciate what you’re doing for them and want to advocate for you. There couldn’t be a nicer compliment or a better reason to come to school,” Claire Adams, a teacher at Foothill Tech, said. “[The petition] lays out step-by-step the issue of inequity, which I feel is happening, that [teachers] are carrying the burden of the budget issues.”

Since 2019, VUSD student enrollment has decreased by 15 percent, mainly due to higher living costs in Ventura County. The district claims no school closures will take place until the 2027-28 school year. They also announced that Buena High School and Ventura High School are the only two out of the 27 schools in the district that will not be reviewed for closure.

“The main goal of my petition is to spread awareness among all people, but my demographic is to spread awareness among the students. I really want to be able to get students to realize what the district is doing and how it’s going to be bad for not just their teachers and their staff, but for them to be able to stand up to this and unite students together as a group of people and go against what they’re doing,” Guerra said. “I want to make it clear that it is still a possibility for Foothill [Tech] to close, no matter what the district says. There’s still a possibility until they confirm it.”

Guerra’s petition presses VUSD to: “have full financial responsibility and public disclosure”; “re-evaluate district administrator salaries”; “direct no cuts to teachers and support staff, including salaries and benefits”; “redirect excess reserve funds to support students’ future”; “hold district administrators and board members accountable for providing students with safe, well-supported and fully resourced learning environments”; and “support students, teachers and staff with the difficulties of school closures.”

It is hard to say if families should worry about whether Foothill Tech will be closed, relocated, or safe to stay; however, Guerra reminds students that they need to take a stand for what they believe in — whether or not they are the ones who are directly impacted. Students are inspired to sign and share Guerra’s petition because it helps them remember that their voices and their actions matter. One person taking the time for “just one signature” has the ability to add up to countless people who together make an immense difference.