BY ESTHER QUINTANILLA

CV Journalism Collaborative

Amid waves of leadership changes in Valley school districts, one superintendent’s departure went relatively unnoticed in rural Merced County. 

Delhi Unified Superintendent Jose Miguel Kubes quietly stepped down from his position in April after working in the district for five years. 

His departure came despite being credited with accomplishments that included being a champion for English language learning students. 

Kubes joined the district during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 as a principal, but quickly rose through the ranks and became superintendent in 2022. According to his LinkedIn profile, he was the top administrative leader of Delhi Unified for nearly three years. 

Located in northwest Merced County just southeast of Turlock, Delhi Unified serves a total of 2,321 students, over 90% of whom are Latino. The majority of the student body come from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and more than a third is learning English as a second language. 

The reasons for Kubes’ departure remain unknown to the public. According to a dismissal agreement obtained by The Merced Focus, he was released “without cause.” 

Despite inquiries by The Merced Focus to the interim superintendent and several trustees, the  district has declined to provide any additional information about Kubes’ resignation.

Kubes was formally dismissed from his role on April 9, after nearly three months of paid administrative leave. The last meeting he presided over as superintendent was in January. 

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Kubes’ most recent employment contract was renewed on Aug. 14, 2024. It wasn’t set to expire until June 30, 2027. He was paid $200,000 upon his resignation – his agreed salary for the 2024-25 school year, according to his dismissal release. 

On the day of Kubes’ release, the Delhi Unified Board of Trustees selected Eric Griffin, who was previously the director of student services, as interim superintendent. 

Per his contract, Griffin will be in the role indefinitely and will be paid a salary of $200,000 per year, prorated to March 24.

It’s unclear when the district will start a search for a permanent new leader. In a phone interview with CVJC, Griffin said there is “no official timeline yet.”

Accomplishments as superintendent 

During his tenure, Kubes brought millions of dollars to the district to raise learning experiences for English learners. 

For example, Delhi Unified was given a $1.5 million grant in 2022 from the Emerging Bilingual Collaborative – a coalition of five foundations: the Heising-Simons, Silver Giving, California Community, James B. McClatchy, and The Sobrato Family. 

The funding went toward teacher training, through one-on-one coaching sessions and other resources with the goal of growing the district’s number of dual immersion courses.

In 2024, Delhi Unified became the first – and only – district in Merced County to adopt the Sabrato Early Academic Language (SEAL) program.

SEAL is a highly specialized model designed to develop the academic language, literacy, and cognitive skills in English learners.

Kubes considered establishing community schools in Delhi Unified, according to a blog post on the SEAL website, but ultimately turned down funding to continue working on its dual language projects. 

As superintendent, Kubes’ efforts to boost learning for English learners and other underrepresented student groups earned him respect from the community. Parent leaders said that Kubes brought a new perspective to the district and his expansion of programs lifted up their students. 

Despite Kubes’ accomplishments and the praise he received, many in the community have told The Merced Focus were taken by surprise when it was announced he had stepped down from his role. The sudden departure also caused residents to accuse the district of not being transparent about the process, according to community members. 

Kubes appeared to have gone on administrative leave in late January. According to board meeting minutes, the last district meeting he attended was Jan 14. He was marked absent at each meeting until his dismissal in April. He did not respond to The Merced Focus’ request for an interview. 

A small district with a big deficit 

During the board of trustees meeting on Jan 14 – the final meeting where Kubes was marked present – the former superintendent presented a State of the District presentation.

He revealed the district was facing a budget deficit of $3 million due to one-time COVID-19 funds ending, declining student enrollment and deficit spending. 

Kubes estimated the district needed to cut $3 million by the start of the 2026-27 school year to be back in good standing. 

“The journey will be difficult, but we must continue to climb,” Kubes wrote in a superintendent’s report. 

However, a June 3 special meeting presentation revealed the district’s budget deficit had more than doubled from $3 million to $8 million. 

When questioned about the drastic jump, district leaders reiterated the deficit was related to one-time pandemic funds that had run out. They also pointed to declining enrollment, a trend happening statewide.

Griffin said the district would look into “right-sizing” its administrative staff at a June 10 regular meeting. 

The district started its search for an interim superintendent in February, soon after Kubes is believed to have gone on administrative leave. The district introduced an action item for a contract of employment for an interim superintendent during its regular February 11 meeting. 

The offer was for RoseMary Parga Duran, former district superintendent of Merced City School District and veteran educator in Merced County. The item was taken off the agenda and pushed to the next meeting. 

On March 11, the district had slated the approval of an employment contract for interim superintendent for Duran at a daily rate of $1,000 per 8-hour day until the end of May.  

The item received heavy pushback from the Delhi Teachers Association, parents and community members during public comment. They questioned why the district would hire an outside candidate with only two months left in the school year. They also said the candidate was too expensive, pointing toward the budget deficit. 

The district denied the contract of employment for Duran, stating they had heard the concerns of the community. The denial of the contract passed 6-1, with Trustee Ariel Gonzalez voting to approve the hire. 

On this same day, the district approved the layoff of 10 classified and 4 full-time equivalent positions. According to Griffin, the layoffs were tied to a state grant the district received during the pandemic to support after school programs at its middle and high schools.