School Consolidation in the News
From the SCUSD Observer
A Public meeting space for discussion and news related to the Sacramento City Unified School District. Not affiliated with or sanctioned by the district in any way -- this blog is an exercise in free speech by private citizens interested in sharing ideas about the public education system in Sacramento, California.Send Your Kids to School
Highlights from Tuesday evening's community meeting at Sacramento Charter High School in the North Study Area.
Board Members in attendance: Roy Grimes, Ellyne Bell, Patrick Kennedy, Gustavo Arroyo and Diana Rodriguez .... continue reading at SCUSD Observer The Black Parallel School Board The Black Parallel School Board, which meets on the first Saturday of the month, has posted a summary of their first year accomplishments.
At this month’s meeting a discussion was held with Susan Miller, interim superintendent, concerning district efforts to improve the cross-cultural effectiveness of staff. She stated that SCUSD is committed to equity in its efforts through a top- down and bottom-up approach. At the top the principals are trained monthly in how to have conversations with staff in this area and how to .... continue reading at SCUSD Observer One Size Does Not Fit All
Highlights for Wednesday evening's community meeting at Martin Luther King Jr. K-8 School, West study area.
Board Members in attendance: Roy Grimes, Patrick Kennedy, Diana Rodriguez
The school’s auditorium was packed full of supporters for John Morse Waldorf , MLK (K-8) and Lisbon elementary schools.
Community comments
Many speakers voiced support for .... continue reading at SCUSD Observer Mayor Johnson announces education summit
In today's Bee the article states:
(Mayor Kevin) Johnson is bringing national researchers and policymakers to an education summit downtown, has met with superintendents of several city school districts, and is investigating creating an "education czar" in City Hall.
The summit will be .... continue reading at SCUSD Observer
Jefferson Elementary: More clear speaking concerning small schools Community input and ideas from the meeting at Thomas Jefferson Elementary:
- Add more services to the community rather than remove school services.
- Our students need music and art or they leave for other options.
- Add a home school support program.
- Increase.... continue reading at SCUSD Observer
CGNA proposes a two-part action at Thomas Jefferson Elem. meeting
More school choicesRe "School district leaders taking note" (Our Region, Jan. 30): This is an opportunity for more choices rather than fewer choices. There should be no involuntary closings of our neighborhood schools. Locally, the Elverta District operates one elementary school enrolling about 217. It would seem possible to provide a quality education with lower overhead. This may be an education different from that offered by larger schools, but that should be a choice for each neighborhood to decide. If the Sacramento City Unified School District's educational budget went first to each neighborhood based on current enrollment, then I know changes in the best interest of each neighborhood could be made. SCUSD should nurture its neighborhood schools as the roots of our communities rather than evaluate them as assets to be repurposed. Small schools are also a proven factor in developing the resiliency and social resources so critical in addressing economic challenges and promoting good citizenship Education started and continues to be an endeavor that mostly happens in one classroom with one teacher. The rest of the enterprise is important but can be temporarily reduced without the child suffering. This is not true of all the adult talk about taking away memories that represent the majority of a young person's life. It is time to repurpose our conversation. – Leo Bennett-Cauchon, Sacramento Letters to the editor Editorial: Sac Unified must face reality at lastPublished Saturday, Jan. 31, 2009
The San Juan and Sacramento City unified school districts share a problem: a precipitous decline in student enrollment over the last seven years. Each must realign to create a district for 47,000 students. San Juan Unified dropped from 52,200 in 2002 to 47,100 this year. Sacramento City Unified dropped from 53,400 students in 2001 to 47,300 today. San Juan, however, is far ahead of Sacramento in its resizing process. The school board already has made tough decisions to consolidate schools and still is not done. Between 2003 and 2007, San Juan closed 10 schools, going from 82 schools to 72. It created K-8 schools. That district now is in the next phase of planning. It publicly presented a facility assessment and school closure analysis in October; research and pro/con analyses of various grade-level configurations in November; a discussion of school boundaries and educational programs in December; a look at enrollment trends in January. That district is well-placed to make informed decisions in March. Sac City, however, still has 86 schools and has delayed coming up with any long-term plan. It has been hemming and hawing since 2005. It closed one school in 2006 and one in 2007 – but still has no long-term plan. Now, with budget pressures mounting, resizing the district no longer can be avoided. When a school district operates too many school buildings for its enrollment, it faces a costly trade-off. It has to pay all the costs of keeping buildings open – heating and air conditioning, electricity, repairs, etc. That's money not being spent on programs that would attract parents and students to Sac City schools. Here is the stark reality: K-8 enrollment in Sac City has gone from 39,600 in 2001 to 34,000 today. Fifteen of the district's 45 K-6 schools – Alice Birney, Collis P. Huntington, Freeport, H.W. Harkness, Hollywood Park, Jedediah Smith, John Cabrillo, John Sloat, Lisbon, Maple, Susan B. Anthony, Theodore Judah, Thomas Jefferson, Washington and William Land – have fewer than 350 students. This is unsustainable. The school district has held seven community meetings, divided by area, drawing more than 1,100 people. The staff is asking for input on school closure, consolidation or reuse but unfortunately is presenting no research or options. Some parents have come up with suggestions for possible mergers for their particular area. Some groups clearly are well-organized. But this is piecemeal, with no districtwide perspective or comparative perspective. It would be useful, for example, to look at districts in California and across the nation that excel with 47,000 students. What do these districts look like in terms of staffing, grade configurations, numbers of school sites or programs? No one has presented such information. Time is running out. The last community meeting is Feb. 17. The board will see a presentation of community input on Feb. 19 and will make decisions on school closure, consolidation and reuse on March 19 and April 2. People in Sac City can accept going from a 53,400-student district to a 47,000-student district if they can see what it will look like. But that is exactly what the staff and the board have yet to provide. Now they should give people some real options. Then the public can meaningfully engage and give feedback. 
This story is taken from Sacbee / Opinion
Specter of school closures prompt Sac City Unified meetings Published Friday, Jan. 30, 2009 Attendance at Sacramento City Unified School District meetings is often sparse, but auditoriums have been packed for a series of meetings the cash-strapped district is holding to discuss the possibility of school closures. Wednesday evening at Thomas Jefferson Elementary, rows of seats set up in the tiny school's auditorium were filled. A throng of people pressed in behind them. Teachers worried about their jobs, parents unsure where they'll send their kids if their schools are closed and community members wondering what effect school closures might have on their property values grilled and lobbied district administrators. "This is a sensitive topic. We realize that," said interim Superintendent Susan Miller. "Anytime you talk about changing a neighborhood school site, those are personal issues for children and families." Enrollment, a key source of funding, has decreased significantly at Sacramento City Unified schools in recent years, falling from 52,190 in the 2000-01 school year to 47,491 now. The dip is happening statewide – a trend blamed on a demographic shift and young families being priced out of homes in urban areas. It has left 20 Sacramento City Unified schools with fewer than 350 students – well below their capacities. Enrollment at some elementary campuses has fallen so low that the schools have had to combine fifth- and sixth-graders in the same classroom. With deep funding cuts expected from the state, district administrators say they've been forced to act. Looking to save $3 million to $5 million a year, the district is mulling a number of cost-saving measures, including closing schools, reconfiguring which grades are offered at some campuses and expanding the district's program of renting out district facilities. District officials will not say how many schools they will close, if any. The decisions will boil down to enrollment numbers, but for parents and students, the potential closures are personal – lost friends and relationships with teachers that, for some families, have lasted generations. Teacher Allison Alair pleaded Wednesday with administrators to keep Jefferson Elementary open. Alair teaches at another district school and her daughter does not attend the elementary, but as a Jefferson alumna – and the district's first student school board representative – she's followed the College Greens neighborhood school's status for years. "I'm worried. It would just destroy the community," she said, her daughter, Asami, hanging on her side. Enrollment at Jefferson is 201 students, despite its capacity for 349. Alair knows low enrollment makes the school vulnerable to closure, but says she hopes the district would consider reconfiguring the site to become a K-8 school before closing its doors. Michele Koehler, a second-grade teacher at Jefferson, took the microphone to ask the district to do what's best for students, even if that means closing her school site. "The best thing is to look at what can most benefit our students, bottom line. Not adults," Koehler said, during an emotional plea to district administrators. "Nobody wants to close any school, but you can only stretch the rubber band so far, and you cannot expect miracles." After the final community meeting in February, the school board will consider their options through March, then release their decisions and begin transition planning in May. District officials have said closures, if any, would not come until after the current school year. But the specter of shuttered schools has put parents and staff members at some low-enrollment sites on edge. Despite assurances from the district that no sites have been singled out, rumors have been swirling among teachers at Washington Elementary, on the northern side of the district. Enrollment at the school is at 240 students, despite capacity for 441. Teachers there are pushing back, coming out en masse to a school board meeting earlier this month sporting Washington apparel in a sign of support. Washington Elementary Principal Marilyn Collins said the rumors are unfounded and have become a distraction. "The last thing I want is for us to create a panic," Collins said. "The information that is being thrown out there is inaccurate. As we get closer to the end of this school year, there's going to be many things that are hearsay and quite destructive. It just gets blown into all kinds of proportions." That's partly why Sac City administrators have very publicly reached out to the community, scheduling 11 meetings across the district. At Wednesday's meeting, every comment from the public was recorded in bright marker on an oversized pad at the front of the room, a reminder that the district is taking note. "We are trying to be as open as possible," Miller said. "It's a different approach than what we've done before. Before, we went in with suggestions. This time we are going in for suggestions. We hope that the community sees us doing it differently and will appreciate that." Call The Bee's Robert Faturechi, (916) 321-1098.
Closure Plan Stuns Pr. George's Parents
By Nelson Hernandez and William Wan
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, January 24, 2009; B01
It wasn't until yesterday morning's announcements came over the public-address system that William Wright, a physical education teacher at Morningside Elementary School in Suitland, put any stock into the word making the rounds among the staff: The school was closing. "When they announced an emergency staff meeting after school, that's when I started guessing," Wright said. "A meeting even the custodians have to go to? I pretty much knew it had to be bad news." Morningside, which holds the dubious distinction of being ranked No. 1 in an independent study of Prince George's County schools that need repairs, is one of a dozen schools that might be mothballed next school year as part of a plan to save $11.9 million in next year's drum-tight budget. All but two of the 12 schools are under-enrolled, and some have academic and facility problems. All but one are inside the Capital Beltway. School officials said they hoped to fill many of the under-enrolled schools with specialty programs, including language immersion, which historically have not been offered to residents of poorer neighborhoods inside the Beltway. But no timeline or specifics have been set for those plans, and with the county facing dire budget cuts because of the economic crisis, it is unclear when it will be able to see its ambitious plans become reality. Rosalind Johnson, a Board of Education member, said the school system needs to hammer out details of the consolidations before tackling the new programs. "In these economic times, it is essential that we capture savings by consolidating schools and at the same time seeding the desire of parents and children for other kinds of programs," said Johnson (District 1). "I'm very excited about it. I have no illusions that it will not be difficult. The board is unified that this is a must." The news, announced late Thursday night at a Board of Education meeting in Upper Marlboro, seeped out slowly at the schools affected. Interim Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. said he briefed the school principals involved Thursday, but as late as yesterday afternoon, an official announcement had not been made to teachers, parents or staff workers at Morningside, where on an otherwise normal Friday afternoon, parents idled in the parking lot waiting for their children. Wright said teachers would likely get the official word at the emergency meeting after all the children were gone. "It's pretty sad, but I guess it comes with the economic times we're in," said Wright, 34. "Everyone's wondering where all the kids will go. And the teachers are all wondering where we'll be this time next year." The plan would enable the elimination of 235 jobs, including those of all 12 principals, 36 classroom teachers and a large number of support staff. School officials said they didn't expect any teachers to be laid off, because the number of students would not change. Paraprofessionals, custodians and the array of support staff at each school would be allowed to apply for vacancies elsewhere. "I don't want anyone to hit the street," said Richard Putney, head of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 2250, the union that represents paraprofessionals and other staff workers. "Hopefully, that's not going to happen." Putney said he is opposed to closing schools. "They're the folks who run the railroad, and if there are schools that are under capacity, that's it," he said. Parents at Morningside were shocked to hear the news, and many said they were surprised that the school had been targeted in light of its progress in recent years. "This is one of the highest-ranked schools in the neighborhood," Chaminada Wright said. Before she enrolled her 6-year-old daughter, Symone, there, she had checked the school's report card on a Web site. "It's a solid school with a good principal and a good record. I don't know where to send my daughter now." Another parent, Angela Proctor, said she had harbored suspicions ever since Hite announced that he was seeking to close some schools. "I know the school had issues and needed some repairs, but honestly, I didn't think it was that bad," she said as her three children piled into her minivan. "And in terms of tests and grades, I thought we had come up a bit in the last few years." In addition to its physical problems, Morningside, like most other schools targeted for closure, is under-enrolled. According to a county report, the school has capacity for 364 students but only 209 attend. Other schools are half-empty: Only 219 students are enrolled at John Carroll Elementary in Landover, which has capacity for 456. School board members said they would do their best to reach out to the communities affected and convince them that the closures are the right decision because they would save the system money and open up opportunities for unique programs. "Folks are really going to take this tough," said Ron Watson (At Large), the school board's vice chairman. "It's going to be a big change. . . . They really need to understand the benefits of this and why we have to do this. We really don't have a choice. The Washington Post
"District officials plan meeting Tuesday to discuss small-schools concept at Crater High School January 25, 2009 6:00 AM The Central Point School District will hear from parents and students Tuesday about the effectiveness of small schools at Crater High School, now in place for the second year. The meeting, requested by parents who are not content with the new structure, comes at a time when small schools have become more controversial after the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation decided to stop funding for the school-reform effort. "We want to hear from the community about what their perceptions are," said Central Point schools Superintendent Randy Gravon. "It is our intention to use this as an opportunity to listen to the community and take the information to improve our outcomes for students." The district also plans to present information about progress the high school has made in test scores, student retention, increased enrollment in advanced classes and growth in the percentage of pupils who apply for college. Small-school opponents have couched the Gates Foundation's move as an indictment of small-schools' failure. However, Central Point schools officials point out that the foundation also pointed out examples of small schools that were successful. The foundation noted that some schools' lack of fidelity in implementing the school-reform model, such as removing ineffective teachers and changing curriculum, was one of the reasons some schools weren't successful. Splitting the schools into smaller units is only one aspect of the small-schools formula, Central Point district officials said. It's what happens in the classroom that matters, they said. As a result of staff training, curriculum modifications, theme-based instruction and closer connections between students and teachers fostered by small schools, Crater students have higher reading scores across the high school, lower dropout rates and more college applications, officials said. "Meeting the needs of all kids is what drove us to choose small schools," Gravon said. And, so far, district officials said they're happy with the results. The Gates Foundation's reversal on small-school funding won't have any effect on Crater. The Oregon Small School Initiative, which leads the school-reform movement in Oregon, receives funding from other sources, including the Meyer Memorial Trust. Moreover, Crater doesn't need the grant money to operate the schools. Those funds were meant for staff development and curriculum revisions. One of the biggest complaints by parents and students is that the concept limits the electives pupils can take. Because each of Crater's four small schools is autonomous with separate schedules, students are sometimes barred from taking electives in other small schools. There are two early-bird periods and a crossover period during first period when students can take classes in other schools, but those offerings are limited. "There is just a lack of diversity in everything we are doing," said Kirk Corcoran, a senior in the Crater Academy of Natural Resources. Students can't do the kind of academic exploration they could before the conversion, he said. For instance, students in schools outside his can't take an agricultural class. "We got to choose what school we wanted," noted Vince Feeley, a senior in the Crater School of Business, Innovation & Sciences. "We weren't forced into a school." Feeley approves of the new model and the theme-based instruction, which he finds stimulating. When he was taking pre-calculus, for instance, the class built bridges using math skills they'd learned. Meanwhile, Corcoran said, small schools have created a lot of division between students in each school, reinforcing stereotypes and instigating rivalries. Hannah Bryant, a junior in the Crater Renaissance Academy, agreed that factions between schools are a drawback of small schools, but she views that as the model's only negative. "I really like the small schools," Bryant said. "Before, I was in classes with students I didn't know and teachers who didn't know me. Now, everyone knows each other. It's like a family. That fact makes me less afraid to ask questions during class, and teachers seem to have more time to talk to each of us." Mariel Smith, a senior in the Crater Academy of Natural Resources, said small schools help students who are struggling. But for those who are doing well in academics, classes don't seem as challenging as before the conversion, she said. "I think what they're trying to accomplish with teacher-student relations is a good goal," Smith said, "but the way they're trying to accomplish the goal isn't working. If all the schools were on the same schedules so there was more crossover, I think it would be better." The meeting convenes at 6 p.m. at the Central Point School District office, 300 Ash St., in Central Point. Reach reporter Paris Achen at 541-776-4459 or pachen@mailtribune.com. Community members discuss budget, possible school closureby susan arroyo, published on January 22, 2009 at 11:42PM About 150 worried parents crowded into the Washington Elementary School auditorium Wednesday night to voice their concerns to the school board over the possible closure of their children's school. The meeting was held by the Sacramento City Unified School District and was open to the community to discuss options for the usage of the school, as funds dry up and the State Legislature looks to make deep cuts into schools. Superintendent Tom Barrenston and Assistant Superintendent Nancy Purcell addressed the crowd and explained that they were there to gather input and suggestions on not only facility use, but revenue generation. The meeting started with the grandfather of a student asking about whether or not the school's budget crisis was Gov. Schwarzenegger's fault. He also suggested that the school district could not afford to pay for so many superintendents. "The budget crisis is due to the fact that there is more unemployment and less taxes," Barrenston said. Many parents and one of Washington's own teachers were concerned over rumors that 18 months ago a dance company toured the school with the intention of closing down the school. This was denied by Barrenston, who explained that although a dance company did tour the site, it was only to hold an after-school and summer program, which would bring in revenue. Matt Mitchell, president of the River Park Neighborhood Association, stood up and explained that closing down a school like Washington elementary that was built in the 1950's would destroy community. Mitchell also said he had to worry about his own neighborhood school, Caleb Greenwood, being closed down. The responses that were given all night mostly consisted of a "Thank you" for the concern and a redirection to the district's website for a better answer. Purcell had a list of vague possible short- and long-term lease/rent opportunities, such as colleges, government agencies and private sector. A parent quickly questioned this information, wondering how the university she attended could afford to rent out space from the district when its administrators, too, announced they had a budget crisis. Before the meeting was over, unhappy parents started to slowly leave as Purcell reminded everyone that if they didn't get to ask their question, they could fill out a suggestion card. 
Parent Vanessa Bautista was not satisfied with the outcome of the meeting. "It just seemed like the answers they gave me were very bureaucratic," Bautista said. "I just hope they don't close down the school after open enrollment ends. Then where will my daughter go?" Bautista lives two blocks from Washington elementary. The school closing will not only affect how far she will have to travel to another school, but her 5-year-old daughter as well. "She has already made friends here that live close by, and I would like her to build lasting friendships with [them]," Bautista said. The school district's next meeting will be held Monday, Jan. 26 at Alice Birney Elementary, 6251 14th Street in Sacramento. Meetings will continue until Feb. 11 and go from 6-8 p.m. Go to the Sacramento Press Return to Top of Page
 From the SCUSD Observer
A Public meeting space for discussion and news related to the Sacramento City Unified School District. Not affiliated with or sanctioned by the district in any way -- this blog is an exercise in free speech by private citizens interested in sharing ideas about the public education system in Sacramento, California. Time-out
The District has reached the halfway point in its community engagement meetings and it's time to take a breather to express admiration and gratitude for the professionals conducting the process.
Over the past few weeks, the SCUSD administration has stood in front of podiums at schools all around the district. The Serna Center men and women on the front lines have fielded quite a number of questions, complaints, suggestions and pot-shots.
They have all responded with intelligence, courtesy and respect.....continue reading at SCUSD Observer
From the SCUSD Observer
A Public meeting space for discussion and news related to the Sacramento City Unified School District. Not affiliated with or sanctioned by the district in any way -- this blog is an exercise in free speech by private citizens interested in sharing ideas about the public education system in Sacramento, California.
Highlights from the fourth community-engagement meeting held by SCUSD regarding school consolidation and/or closure.
The Bad News:
Some district schools may close or be consolidated with other schools next year.
The Good News:
The school board is listening to its communities and fostering collaborative energy on a grassroots level.
The auditorium at the school was full.....continue reading at SCUSD Observer
Editorial: Plain talk on schools Published Sunday, Jan. 18, 2009
In March, the Sacramento City Unified school board will begin making decisions on what it calls the "reutilization" of school buildings.
That euphemism dances around an unpleasant reality: The district needs to close some schools. The district has dropped from 53,400 students in 2001 to 47,300 today. Enrollment is expected to level out around 47,000. Yet the district still operates 86 schools. The neighboring Elk Grove district serves 62,000 students with 58 schools.
Though they have been working on this since 2005, the Sac City staff and board have yet to come up with a long-term plan for a 47,000-student district.
Seven years of enrollment decline has brought reductions in state per-pupil funding, forcing $90 million in cuts. But the staff and board have dodged the real issue: The district has too many schools.
The district is holding community meetings leading up to March-through-May decisions on "reuse." Staff need to be candid at these meetings:
• To be viable, elementary schools should have 400 to 600 students, yet one-third of the district's 45 K-6 schools have fewer than 350 students.
• Present alternatives such as expanding some K-6 schools to a K-8 configuration or using surplus classrooms for other uses.
• Factors the staff and board will consider for closure – such as enrollment, per-student cost and academic performance – should be openly discussed.
So far, district staff has been presenting a "matrix" of the district's 86 schools that you need a Ph.D. to read, and speaking vaguely of "changes." The 200 people who attended the meeting at Freeport Elementary last Wednesday clearly wanted to know which schools are being considered for "reuse."
It's a reasonable expectation. The district board and staff need to give people real options.
That is exactly what the staff and the board have yet to provide. SCUSD Meeting In Lincoln Village Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD), which includes Abe Lincoln, AM Winn, Einstein, and Rosemont, has been facing very serious budget problems. The district has already cut over $20 million and may be looking at mid-year cuts reaching up to another $30 million. The district is even looking at closing some school sites in an extreme effort to cut costs. A special community meeting is to be held by SCUSD on Tuesday, January 13th, at AM Winn Elementary School located on Explorer. This meeting is to inform the public about options the district is considering and to seek our input. The meeting is scheduled from 6 pm to 8 pm. Although the district has scheduled meetings at other schools in other parts of the district, this will be the only meeting in the Lincoln Village, Countryside or Rosemont areas. Even if you do not have children currently enrolled in SCUSD schools, this is an important meeting to attend. The quality of local schools are a big factor in the value of our homes and in the ability the next generation to gain the skills they will need to be productive members of our communities. Special thanks to the Lincoln Village Neighborhood Association for providing this information.
Sac City Unified explores cost-cutting options Published Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009
Administrators at Sacramento City Unified School District won't say how likely school closures are, but they admit the unpopular cost-saving measures are a possibility for the cash-strapped district. The district has scheduled 11 meetings, starting Tuesday, to reach out to residents and business owners inside the district's boundaries for ideas on ways to cut costs and raise funds using district facilities. Superintendent Susan Miller said she expected some to be upset at the specter of school closures but hoped reaching out to the community for input would ease nerves. "This is a sensitive topic. We realize that," she said. "Anytime you talk about changing a neighborhood school site, those are personal issues for children and families." Along with school closures, several other cost-saving ideas have been floated, including reconfiguring what grades are taught at some schools, expanding the district's program of renting out office space to outside groups and adding more child care programs at school sites. Administrators expect midyear cuts of $15 million to $30 million this fiscal year and $7 million to $20 million next year. Miller said the expected cuts, along with a decade of dipping enrollment, have forced the district to look for ways to tighten its budget. Administrators are looking to save $3 million to $5 million a year by cutting costs and generating revenue from district facilities. Tuesday's meeting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at A.M. Winn Elementary, 3351 Explorer Drive. Sacramento. Call The Bee's Robert Faturechi, (916) 321-1098. Return to Top of Page
Sac City Unified contemplates school closingsPublished Friday, Jan. 09, 2009Some Sacramento schools might be closed in the near future, and Sacramento City Unified School District wants to hear your thoughts. The financially-strapped district is beginning a series of 11 public hearings Tuesday, January 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Winn Elementary School. District residents and business owners will be allowed to ask questions and share ideas about how to make more revenue from district facilities and cut costs. The time and place for other meetings can be found on the district Web site: http://www.scusd.edu/ Return to Top of Page
Sacramento school officials look at possible closuresPublished Monday, Nov. 10, 2008
The Sacramento City Unified School District has arrived at a threshold that other urban, slow-growth districts have crossed recently: closing schools, consolidating campuses and renting out district property. The budget crisis, built-out neighborhoods and stagnant enrollment have pushed the district to explore how to cut costs and get more out of hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of property. Sacramento City Unified trustees and administrators say the district faces a budget shortfall of at least $7 million in the 2009-2010 school year. "We are down to the bone, folks," trustee Jerry Houseman said at the Thursday school board meeting. Other area districts have wrestled with the problem. In the past six years, San Juan Unified School District's declining enrollment has led it to close nine schools. Don Myers, San Juan's director of facilities and planning, said the suburban district is now discussing additional closures. Enrollment dropped another 1,000 students this year and Myers said the decline hasn't hit bottom. Meanwhile, district property and acreage combined is worth at least $2 billion, he said. And earlier this year, Davis Joint Unified School District trustees, facing a $4 million budget shortfall, proposed closing under-enrolled Emerson Junior High to save nearly $600,000 a year. The proposal followed a controversial decision in June to shutter Valley Oak Elementary because of declining enrollment. Angry parents opposed the Emerson plan and trustees decided to study other options. In Sacramento, City Unified officials said they could save money – and enhance learning environments for students – by consolidating campuses. The district could also earn some income renting out unused property. The district said its 1,178 acres and 5 million square feet worth of facilities have been appraised at between $450 million and $750 million. Compared with neighboring districts, Sacramento City Unified has a surplus of sites in proportion to enrollment: 45,000 students and 86 school sites. Elk Grove Unified, the largest district in the Sacramento area, has 62,000 students and 58 school sites; San Juan Unified has 40,000 students and 61 school sites; and Stockton Unified has 39,000 students and 44 school sites. Sacramento City Unified won't decide on closures or leasing before March. Also, the community will have until at least February to provide ideas and input, officials said. Tom Barentson, the district's chief financial officer, said the district's ideal elementary school has 400 to 600 students; middle schools, 700 to 900; and high schools, 1,800 to 2,000. And yet, Sacramento City has 24 K-12 sites with 350 or fewer students, he said. Some of these elementary schools have split-grade classrooms, such as a fourth-fifth grade combined. The district also has 50 K-12 sites with "considerable excess capacity." Consolidating 24 under-enrolled sites could reduce expenses by $12 million, he said. "We want to continue to support neighborhood schools whenever possible," he said. "But the fact of the matter is that you have to have enough students in the school to offer the best possible programs." In evaluating whether schools should close or remain open, Barentson said a number of factors come into play: community input, school enrollment and capacity, on-site pre- and after-school programs, traffic patterns, test scores, the number of children on free and reduced-price lunch, proximity to another site, and school-age population in the neighborhood. Barentson said the district is also talking with the city, UC Davis and California State University, Sacramento, about leasing parts of the Serna Center, the Marian Anderson Special Education Center, the Old Marshall Adult Education Center, the Fremont School for Adults and the Florin Technology Center. No properties will be sold. Myers, of San Juan Unified, said the district hasn't sold former schools, opting instead to lease property to charter schools or use them for administrative purposes. "If the population ever rebounds, getting back the land is almost impossible," Myers said. Also, he asked, "Where would you find a 14-acre site for an elementary school or 40 to 50 acres for a high school?" Selling school sites in the current real estate market would be foolish, Myers said. Bay Area education consultants Jeanne Gobalet and Shelley Lapkoff co-authored a research report on school closures in 2004. They urge districts to resist selling sites, to keep them in reserve in case enrollment grows. In the long run, they said, California's population will continue to grow, increasing real estate value and the number of children public schools will need to serve. Even in a built-out district like Sacramento City Unified, potential factors such as urban redevelopment, fuel price hikes and state government hiring could increase the need for schools, Gobalet said. "Who's to say that sometime in the future there won't be enrollment growth?" she said.
Call The Bee's Melissa Nix, (916) 321-1090. Tell the Sac City Unified School District how you would cut costs - and possibly make more revenue from existing facilities.
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