11 Sacramento schools are slated to close next school year as part of a plan to balance SCUSD's budget
SACRAMENTO, CA - A $10 million to $12 million budget deficit in the Sacramento City Unified School District is leaving some school board members questioning if closing schools is the right decision and parents wondering what will happen next.
Thursday's overflow crowd at a district board meeting pleaded with district officials to reconsider the plan to close 11 schools. Some school board members also opposed a plan by district staff.
Diana Rodriguez, one of the board members opposed to the plan, is not convinced the district is losing money at each of the targeted schools.
RELATED: List of schools targeted for closure
"Not enough information has come out to prove that each school site is running in a deficit," said Rodriguez.
District officials disagree.
Gabe Ross, the district's chief communications officer, says closing the schools and consolidating will save money and create better opportunities for the students.
Community implores Sacramento City school board to save 11 schools from closure
SACRAMENTO, CA - Hundreds fought to save 11 Sacramento elementary schools on the chopping block at a Thursday night's school board meeting.
The schools recommended to be closed are:
1. Fruit Ridge
2. James Marshall
3. Washington
4. Tahoe
5. C.P. Huntington
6. Susan B. Anthony
7. Bret Harte
8. Joseph Bonnheim
9. Mark Hopkins
10. C.B. Wire
11. Maple
"If you close James Marshall," parent Matt Muller said, "I'm going to pull my kids out and home-school them because this idea is a bad idea." Muller has a son who attends James