Letter to the SCUSD Board of Education:
For the past ten years, the Sacramento City Unified School District has closed schools piecemeal, even when attempting to put a process like a 7-11 committee in place. Now with its back against the wall financially, the district believes it must close a large number of schools to remain solvent. To address the declining enrollment and over capacity in the district, planning should have begun by considering the best way to serve the needs of all of the current population of students in the district. Only then should discussion have begin on which facilities to remain in service or to close. Yet with the release of the school closure list, it still seems that the district isn't making these decisions with the best interests of all the students of the district in mind. What happened to the district's watch words "access and equity"? Indeed, Governor Brown has urged us to go beyond mere equity because "Equal treatment for children in unequal situations is not justice". Instead it seems that the district is retreating.
While calling for "right sizing" the district and closing schools that make the most sense, (regardless of whatever programs are in place since "programs can be moved"), the school closure list reveals that right sizing was not the most important factor in the decision making process. Three of the Superintendent's Priority Schools will remain open, in spite of the fact they are under enrolled. Oak Ridge was on a closure list two years ago because of low enrollment and the poor shape of its facility. Now it will be a "receiving school" for students
While calling for "right sizing" the district and closing schools that make the most sense, (regardless of whatever programs are in place since "programs can be moved"), the school closure list reveals that right sizing was not the most important factor in the decision making process. Three of the Superintendent's Priority Schools will remain open, in spite of the fact they are under enrolled. Oak Ridge was on a closure list two years ago because of low enrollment and the poor shape of its facility. Now it will be a "receiving school" for students
