Recommendation for School Closure

1
Facilities Advisory Committee

• Recommendation for School Closure
• Fall 2008

2
Outcome Sought

• The Facilities Advisory Committee was charged
  with
• Reviewing the findings compiled by the Ad Hoc
  Committee on Elementary School Boundaries and
  Facilities
• Developing a report to the Board of Education

3
Ultimate Goal

• Reduce the general fund operating expenses
  commensurate with reduction in revenue due to
  declining enrollment
• This can be accomplished by
• Combining school populations to close schools
• Reducing transportation costs

4
Charge to FAC

• The Facilities Advisory Committee was charged
  with developing a recommendation that
• identified at least two but no more than four
  schools for closure and
• included data on potential impact on other
  schools and district operations

5
Assumptions

• The process assumed that
• All schools in SVUSD have high quality teachers,
  administrators and staffs
• Supportive parents are actively involved at all
  of their children's schools
• All schools provide a caring, nurturing
  environment, and culture that encourages life
  long learning
• All students are important and are the number one
  priority

6
School Closure Process

• Methodology
• Utilizing committee input to identify critical
  factors to be addressed when considering a school
  for closure from the parents perspective
• Prioritizing the factors in rank order
• Developing measurable, objective criteria
  (Primary Criteria) based on factors identified by
  the committee
• Applying the criteria to all elementary schools
  to narrowing the number of schools down from 26
  to a smaller group and ultimately the schools to
  be closed

7
School Closure Process

• Multiple factors were taken into consideration in
  identifying the
• Current enrollment
• Projected enrollment
• Space availability in the receiving school or
  schools
• Distances traveled
• Distances between schools
• Path of travel to schools
• Student residences and school locations
• Contiguous and Non-Contiguous attendance areas
• Location of special programs
• Support space
• Transportation needs
• Neighborhood schools and schools of attendance

8
Results of the Study to Accomplish School Closure

• Disrupt the least number of students and families
• Utilize the factors to identify the recommended
  schools

9
FAC Recommendation

• Close the La Tierra general education program
  and move students to the closest neighborhood
  school(s) with available space
• Maintain the La Tierra Pre-School Program at La
  Tierra
• Close ONeill and move students to the closest
  neighborhood school(s) with available space

10
FAC Recommendation

• Establish a District wide plan to return
  non-contiguous attendance areas to closest
  neighborhood schools based on available space
• Continue to monitor new housing developments and
  the enrollments at all of the Lake Forest
  schools.
• Re-evaluate Santiago at a future date when the
  actual student enrollment impact can be assessed

11
Next Steps

• The Board of Education will review the Facility
  Advisory Committee Report
• Additional input will be provided by parents,
  staff, and community member for the Boards
  consideration
• District staff will address assignment of
  students to schools with appropriate space

12
Opportunities for Public Input

• Public Hearing
• December 2, 2008
• 630 p.m.
• La Paz Intermediate School Gym
• Special Meeting of the Board of Education
• January 8, 2009
• 615 p.m.
• SVUSD Board Room

13
Proposed Implementation Timeline

• January 8, 2009 - Final Decision by the Board
• February 1, 2009 Notification to parents
  identifying new school of assignment
• February to June, 2009 Transition team
  coordinates details of reassignment
• June 30, 2009 Official Closure

14
Disposition of Closed Schools

• In the event the decision is to close La Tierra
  and ONeill, the properties will
• remain a District asset
• be utilized in a manner that is consistent with
  the Districts educational programs

15
Future FAC Tasks

• Continue to review assignment of non-contiguous
  attendance area to neighborhood schools
• Review additional sites for future closures if
  necessary
• Provide input on the usage of school District
  property

16
Special Thank You

• The members of the Facilities Advisory Committee
  are to be commended for their dedication and hard
  work on behalf of all the students and staff
  throughout the District.