The Pleasanton school board will be reviewing a second budget presentation on Thursday that district staff put together in order to provide additional financial information expanding on a previous presentation last month.

On Oct. 26 Ahmad Sheikholeslami, assistant superintendent of business services, gave a presentation to provide the board and public a thorough understanding of the Pleasanton Unified School District budget and the impacts salary increases would have on it.

That presentation came amid calls from the Association of Pleasanton Teachers to repurpose and reprioritize the budget in order to meet the unions demands for higher salaries and fully paid benefits after the APT declared an impasse in contract negotiations.

During the Oct. 26 budget discussion, Sheikholeslami presented many reasons for why the district does not have enough money in the budget.

On Thursday, he is set to go over other budget specifics including details about current expenditure areas in staffing and non-staffing; demonstrations on the scope of reductions and process to prioritize a reduction plan; and the difference between expenditures and costs directed by state, federal and local requirements, and those that PUSD prioritizes.

Thursday's presentation will also cover "revenue enhancement options like local parcel tax that can be used to support programs, salaries and benefits for the staff."

The board's open-session meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Thursday (Nov. 9). Read the full agenda here.

In other business:

* District staff will be asking the board to approve a contract with a design firm to begin the design process for the Foothill High School and Amador Valley High School Measure I renovation projects.

Last November, Pleasanton voters passed the $395 million Measure I general obligation bond, which will help fund the modernization and construction of PUSD facilities.

Two of the main projects listed in the district's implementation plan -- which was completed and approved by the board on June 22 -- were the construction of new athletic facilities, performing arts centers and other supporting spaces at both of the high schools.

According to the staff report, the Facilities and Construction Department combined those projects into two individual multiphase projects at each campus, which staff are now ready to move forward with to the design development phase.

"The campus renovation projects will be complex, multiphase and multiyear projects," according to the staff report. "The Facilities and Construction team reviewed both projects. It felt the design-build delivery method was the best way for the district to receive the best quality product, the fastest product to market, and the most financially secure project."

But in order to continue with that process, the district needs to prepare bridging documents which will serve as "a bridge between the initial design phase and the subsequent construction phase."

"Essentially, they are comprehensive documents that define the project's design intent, performance requirements and other critical details that will guide the design-build team in developing the final construction documents," the staff report states.

"They lay the foundation for a successful construction project by establishing clear expectations and requirements for the design-build team. Practical Bridging Documents help ensure the project aligns with the District's objectives, maintains quality standards and stays within budget and schedule constraints."

Staff is recommending CA+SA Studio as the design firm to create those bridging documents.

"CA+SA Studio's proposal demonstrated a deep understanding of our project's unique requirements and a commitment to delivering high-quality bridging documents," according to the staff report. "Their team's extensive experience in educational facility design and their track record of successful projects in California make them strong candidates for this critical role."

If approved, the contract will make two payments of $170,850 from its Measure I fund for each of the bridging documents for each high school.

"Should the board award this contract, the next steps will be the start of the design process, including a comprehensive series of design meetings with stakeholders, users and the community to ensure all input from a diverse group will be heard for these important projects," according to the staff report.

* The school board will also be reviewing a presentation on the annual update of the 2023 A-G Success Grant, which provides one-time funds to increase the number of California high school students who graduate with A-G eligibility.

According to the staff report, A-G completion is the "sequence of high school courses students must complete (with a grade of C or better) to be minimally eligible for admission to the University of California and California State University."