The state on Monday will release its first list of "persistently lowest-achieving schools," including six in the Mt. Diablo district.
The announcement, expected at 10 a.m., will include nearly 190 schools that represent the lowest 5 percent throughout California, which are eligible for Title 1 funds and have failed to show adequate progress in student achievement, said Hilary McLean, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Education.
Schools on the list will be subject to severe sanctions under state and federal laws and will be required to implement one of four drastic interventions: close the school; transform the school through a series of strategies including replacing the principal and increasing instructional time; turn around the school by replacing the principal and at least half the staff; or restart the school by closing it and reopening it as a charter school, under a charter school management organization or under an education management organization.
The sanctions are required under state legislation that was approved as part of the Race to the Top bill package. They are also required under federal laws associated with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and School Improvement grant program for struggling schools, McLean said Friday.
Schools must begin implementing the changes in September to qualify for the grants, but there is no timeline if schools opt not to take the money, she said.
One high
school, one middle school and four elementary schools in the Mt. Diablo district are on the list, Superintendent Steven Lawrence said Friday. He declined to name them, saying he would release a statement to the community Monday.
"We're trying to be thoughtful," he said, "in the process of looking at the various options."
ONLINE
At 10 a.m. Monday, the California Department of Education expects to post its list of persistently lowest-achieving schools at www.cde.ca.gov. Information about School Improvement Grants is atwww.cde.ca.gov/ar/ts. Details about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act are at www.cde.ca.gov/ar.