Faced with $20M budget deficit, East San Jose district could close nearly half its schools

AN EAST SAN JOSE school district plans to close numerous campuses due to an enormous budget deficit.

An Alum Rock Union School District committee is recommending closing 13 of its 21 schools due to declining student enrollment with families moving out of the area, lower birth rates and a steady loss of students to charter schools. On top of that, the loss of temporary COVID relief funds leaves the district with a $20 million budget deficit.