Comments on: STAR scores show improvement in Contra Costa County

By: Theresa Harrington

Theresa Harrington — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 19:39:55 +0000

A bit off topic, but according to the County Superintendent’s report in the CCCOE Sept. 5 Board minutes, the CTA and county are at impasse: http://www.cccoe.k12.ca.us/supe/12mtgs/m120905.pdf

By: Doctor J

Doctor J — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 22:42:23 +0000

@Jim#31 I think Lawrence does it for the finances, and because when he hired a new Principal to replace a 57 API point improvment principal, he promised Mary Louise a “smaller enrollement”. Based on the fiasco he and Rose Lock created during the last school closure rounds, he doesn’t want the public any part of it, and hence his secret boundary alignment committee, but even then he couldn’t get staff aligned on the same page, because he would be pushing Meadow Homes children out to other schools. So he just decided to do it unilaterally — change the FTE’s at the schools and force realignment without public debate.

By: Anon

Anon — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 16:44:18 +0000

#34,

He is talking about Rolen.

By: Anon

Anon — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 05:21:33 +0000

Who gets limo’s? If you are talking about NPS kids they are driven in Mini Vans with a Taxi sign on it. If you are just talking Rolen then that may be different.

By: Hell Freezing Over

Hell Freezing Over — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 22:09:45 +0000

@30 – Dr J:

We are interested in district overflow / decling enrollment.

Like all else in this district, even though those two “things” have been brought up multiple times – both as standalone or combined in argument, in public comments during board meetings and also in many blog posts / debates during the school closure fiasco / charade, the public input and questions get stuck in the tar pit that is Dent. Maybe 3 or 5 or 10 years from now someone in Dent can figure out how to balance attendance.

If the district can shuttle kids in limos to other counties, why can’t it shuttle “overflow” to the schools that are “declining”?

By: Anon

Anon — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 21:58:51 +0000

Dr. J,

Are you suggesting that Lawrence is an outright racist?

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 21:27:12 +0000

Dr. J, I assume that he does that because he does not believe that the people and culture at, say, Meadow Homes, will be as supportive of the students’ academic achievement as the people and culture at their new school. As you know, sometimes administrators just give up on a school, and since it can be so much work to actually fix things, it is sometimes easier (on the administration) to move the students to another school. I’m just guessing here, but since the students have to go wherever Dent tells them to go, that might be what’s behind it.

I realize that the impact is primarily on low income and minority students, but that applies to almost all of the dysfunction and mismanagement at the district. Incompetence at almost any level of government tends to be hardest on the most vulnerable. That’s why so many of our leaders have to keep reminding people that their leadership is all about “helping people”. Otherwise, people might start to believe their own lying eyes…

By: Doctor J

Doctor J — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 20:43:05 +0000

Jim and Anon you both acknowledge the declining enrollment; so why then do we have so many “overflow” students ? I have been trying to get others “interested” in this issue, but either I am explaining it wrong or it is so boring no one is interested. Lawrence is using “overflow” to make de facto boundary adjustments. What he does is determine that certain schools, like Meadow Homes, should have a lower student population, but he hit a brick wall when he went with the boundary adjustment concept. So what he does instead, with a sleight of hand, is takes away teachers from MH [less FTE's in certain grades] and adds FTE’s to neighboring schools he wants them shifted to. Shebang ! He just did a boundary adjustment and didn’t need board approval or parental involvement. Then he makes the children walk to school. The impact is primarily on low income and minority students.

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 19:41:22 +0000

@28 Anon — I’m not sure what you’re getting at. I do not purport to be an expert in the Ed Code, and I am not disputing any state law. If you Google “LAFCO changing school district boundaries” you will see multiple official reports where local governments are being advised that LAFCO entities do NOT have jurisdiction over school district boundaries, just as the CCCBoE was advised. There may be exceptions. If you know of any instances where a LAFCO decision changed a school boundary (as opposed to simply influencing the decision of another body with actual boundary authority), please enlighten us. If you are simply making a theoretical argument, with no basis in precedent, well, let’s just acknowledge that.

As far as I know, except for minor adjustments of borders for small neighborhoods here and there to fit transportation and attendance practices, school district boundaries do not EVER get changed, when there objections from any of the school boards involved (which is almost always).

I agree that if Holbrook had become a charter, its chances of being open today would be greater. One of the reasons MDUSD faces declining enrollment and the need to close schools, is because of its poor academic reputation and the lack of choice within the district. Teachers and parents should recognize that the MDUSD practices that are sinking (and shrinking) this district could one day lead to the closure of their own school.

By: Anon

Anon — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 18:09:47 +0000

Holbrook should have gone charter and it would still be open. I’m waiting for every MDUSD high school to follow CVCHS and go charter. I’m still waiting . . .

LAFCO can initiate school district reorganization under Education Code 35721(c), and must be given notice under Education Code 35721.5. It’s hard for you and Doctor J to dispute the actual State law, which was passed because the Legislature thinks districts and developers tend to be biased, the epitome of understatement.