Whitmore Parents and Community Members

 Make your voice heard!

You can make a huge difference in protecting your rights by contacting your Assembly and State Senate representatives yourself.

The most powerful tool for taxpayers when contacting representatives is still a one-page handwritten letter. However, if you do not have time to write, a call or a brief e-mail message will still have a great impact.

When contacting your legislator, remember that the best way to be heard is to be polite, stick to the point, and ask for specific action from the legislator.

State Senator Doug La Malfa              

2885-C Churn Creek Road             

Redding, CA 96002                         

(530) 225-3142

(916) 445-7750 fax

State Assemblyman  Jim Nielsen                    

280 Hemsted, Suite 110

Redding, CA 96002

(530) 223-6300

(916) 319-2102 fax  

Governor Jerry Brown

c/o State Capitol, Suite 1173

Sacramento, CA 95814

(916) 445-2841

(916) 558-3160  fax                              

 We are keeping this on our website to keep you informed of legislation that will affect your children or grandchildren and ultimately, your community.

School Consolidation or Death Sentence?

          On May 2, 2011, Mac Taylor, a California Legislative Analyst, wrote a report regarding school district consolidation called “How Small is Too Small? An Analysis of School District Consolidation.” This analysis recommends that all school districts with 100 or fewer students be “lapsed” into surrounding school districts. The purpose is to get rid of the smallest school districts. The Assembly and Senate Budget Subcommittees hearings on this recommendation begins in the first half of May.

          The basic premise of the report is that small districts cost more to operate, per student taught, than larger districts. This initially appears to be true because all school districts have to meet the same state requirements regardless of size and don’t have the economy of scale of larger districts. The state in the past has recognized this fact and has provided smaller districts with special funding formulas such as Necessary Small School funding and Basic Aid funding. Now there is a recommendation to eliminate this funding because they are seen as “disincentives” to school district consolidation.

          There are just over 100 small school districts (out of approximately 1,000) in California at this time. Most of these districts serve rural communities and many of them are a considerable distance from other school districts. If these districts are eliminated then what happens to the kids? Are they to be bussed to another district? If so, how long would they be on a bus each day? Is it reasonable to expect a kindergarten student, for example, to ride a bus for two or more hours every day?

          Will the consolidation of small schools save money? With increased costs for bus transportation, more facilities and staffing, this is unlikely.

          So why is there a push for the elimination of our state’s smallest schools? Could it  be related to California’s 2002 Master Plan For Education that recommends that all school districts be Pre K-12 unified districts? What would be the optimum size for these districts (the Master Plan suggests that a study be done on this)? Would it be 1,000 students? Would it be more? What effect would consolidation have on Shasta County schools that are already doing well?

          What about local control? Shouldn’t any serious decision regarding consolidation involve those that would be affected (this would include the districts that would have to absorb any such consolidation)?

          In the 1950’s and 1960’s, as Mr. Taylor points out in his report, there were incentives for school districts to consolidate. The number of districts after voluntarily consolidation changed from 2,091 to 963. Why couldn’t a similar approach be considered today?

          Should the education of our children be determined by the size of the school district? Should the state be allowed to apply a cookie cutter approach to our local schools? Should our small rural schools receive a death sentence just because of their size?

          As our elected representative I hope that you will support a better approach to school district consolidation than the one proposed.

George DeFillipo

Superintendent/ Principal

From the Small School Districts' Association

 05.12.11: LAO Consolidation Report Update

by Walrath, David

Today, May 12, Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Education heard the Legislative Analyst's Office recommendations regarding consolidating small school districts.  The committee took no action.  From the Committee's comments, it appears they are not interested in addressing these recommendations through the budget process.  Instead they will defer to the regular legislative policy committee process if a legislator choosing to introduce legislation.

The California Department of Education testimony stressed that one size does not fit all and that any changes to small school district funding or organization should be in the context of a comprehensive school finance review that would affect all districts, not just small districts.

Because both the Assembly and the Sendate appear to be deferring to policy committees, it seems this issue will not be acted upon this year and possibly will be considered in 2012.

CalFresh

 
R.E.A.D.

• Duncan and Tweed also participate in a R.E.A.D. program at the Redding Library
  
• Prescription:  Pets, An affiliate of the Delta Society
• Special reading buddies, who are very well behaved. 
• Mrs. Tillis brings either Duncan or Tweed, and these dogs are trained to listen to young readers.
• They visit twice a month for over 5 hours of reading or listening.