Comments on: CVHS charter board election results

By: Theresa Harrington

Theresa Harrington — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 19:02:11 +0000

FYI, I just posted the text of Rep. George Miller’s comments on the House floor today in favor of the Quality Charter Schools Act: http://bit.ly/nZQjCi.

By: Just J

Just J — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 18:29:00 +0000

4 students, It should be taken a step further. Obviously there is a huge difference between someone on the Autism spectrum and a child who is LD (Learning Disabled) or resource. Programs could be started at each school site that is research based. We now have 30 years of research supporting what works and what doesn’t and school sites or the district refuses to look at it. Some schools in Pleasanton and San Ramon are using a proven reading intervention that is working. perhaps that is the difference in that sub group making gains in those districts and our not.

Not bussing to private placement could save millions of dollars that could be spent on the right programs to educate more students and keep kids included. Might even save enough money to have more Special Day Classes offered at more campuses that would also save on bussing and time spent on the bus. Seems so simple to me.

By: 4Students

4Students — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 17:48:38 +0000

Mark,
Special ed is another complex issue and I don’t pretend to be an expert. In general I’ve heard (from Denise Rugani) it’s best if students are not separated, even within a campus if the special ed classrooms can be interspersed for inclusion. At a certain point however for economic reasons you cannot have all programs (autism, Aspergers, PDD, preschool etc) at each school site and the district will consolidate these programs. It would be better to avoid locating programs on the edge of the district like the preschool at Gregory Gardens, guessing that’s over 10 miles for a 3-year old from Clayton to ride the bus? I hear it can take over an hour each way. It would be better to locate programs in the geographic center of the district so each child would travel less than 5 miles on the bus. I believe Spectrum has been moved to Glenbrook (?) which is closer to the center of the district.

By: Mark Weinmann

Mark Weinmann — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:57:15 +0000

@4Students – But if we move all Special Ed to Glenbrook, don’t we potentially exacerbate and increase transportation issues and needs?

By: 4Students

4Students — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:34:48 +0000

That’s getting into another topic. Most educators like Cheryl Hansen agree that early intervention is key for special education students. Early diagnosis and intervention can make a difference years later, even avoiding expensive referrals to residential programs. In MDUSD the preschool program is at Gregory Gardens in Pleasant Hill and so 3-year old children are put on a bus that may go 10 miles or more, stopping at other houses along the way, to and from Gregory Gardens. A parent must be at home when the bus arrives or the child will be kept on the bus as it proceeds to the next stop. Older students also are bused many miles to their special education programs. It would be better if MDUSD could plan to avoid this busing by offering more special education programs in neighborhood schools, and for less common programs centralize the site so children spend less time sitting on the bus. Moving special education programs to Glenbrook (?) might help.

By: Theresa Harrington

Theresa Harrington — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:01:47 +0000

Of course, plans also need to be implemented effectively.
Besides the busing you mention, much of the district’s busing is for children in special education. The district is legally obligated to provide transportation for them and could face legal consequences if it fails to do so.

By: 4Students

4Students — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 15:57:42 +0000

That relates back to the strategic PLAN idea. It seems the district could PLAN to have students attend neighborhood schools instead of wasting hours riding a bus. PLAN a Bay Point high school. PLAN school closures better to avoid students from low-income neighborhoods paying $170 to be bused. PLAN to have education excellence at every neighborhood school. All this needless busing wastes money, students’ time and under this system administrators’ time.

By: Theresa Harrington

Theresa Harrington — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 15:27:17 +0000

I’ve also been hearing rumors that bus problems have resurfaced again this year.
The district canceled its contract with Durham through the County Office of Education, saying it could save money by busing children itself.
But, if the district’s system isn’t working, that cost-savings may not be worth the problems that I’ve heard are occurring.

By: 4Students

4Students — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 15:05:36 +0000

MDUSD is always “putting out fires.” That term has been used many times even by the superintendent. This time it was CVHS that pulled the fire alarm.

But other schools need attention. Holbrook Elementary needed attention to avoid closure, when its API score increased 39 points to 816. Glenbrook Elementary needed enough attention to avoid losing $1.2 million SIG funding. Delta View Elementary needed attention to save six trees.

All the schools need MDUSD to pass a parcel tax to avoid more closures and a shortened school year. Face the facts, MDUSD is too big to give attention to all the schools.

By: Mark Weinmann

Mark Weinmann — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 07:15:21 +0000

@Wait a Minute – Really? Comparing Sue Brothers and MDUSD to the Middle Eastern governments? Wow. As a parent and advocate for CVHS, my only issue with Sue Broithers getting it done is that it is Loooooong overdue for CVHS. Let’s just call this our turn and we finally have a facilitator and leader to pave the way. Good enough for me and, I’m sure, goof enough for the students, partents, faculty, staff and community of CVHS.