District offers specifics to fix schools
Author: Debbie Pfeiffer Trunnell, Staff Writer
After several community meetings and much debate, San Bernardino City Unified officials presented options for turning around 11 struggling schools at Tuesday evening's board meeting.
Among the interventions suggested were turning five of the schools into district-sponsored charters and replacing the principals at the six others. All the schools were recently ranked in the bottom 5 percent in the state.
"The beauty of this is by accepting the models we can get funding from the federal government and redefine the extent to which we service our communities," said Superintendent Arturo Delgado at the meeting attended by many principals and teachers.
Among the interventions suggested were turning five of the schools into district-sponsored charters and replacing the principals at the six others. All the schools were recently ranked in the bottom 5 percent in the state.
"The beauty of this is by accepting the models we can get funding from the federal government and redefine the extent to which we service our communities," said Superintendent Arturo Delgado at the meeting attended by many principals and teachers.
Schools slated to become charter schools, according to the presentation, are Pacific High School, Shandin Hills Middle School, and Rio Vista, Wilson and Hunt elementary schools.
Schools at which the principal would be replaced and other reforms put in place are Marshall Elementary, Serrano Middle School and Arroyo Valley and San Gorgonio high schools.
At Barton and Davidson elementary schools, which have shown the greatest need for significant change, the principal would be replaced and existing staff would be screened with up to 50 percent retained.
Late Tuesday, school board members were still discussing what steps to take next.
While some at the meeting saw it as an opportunity to make a fresh start, others felt pressured by the state to move quickly on the interventions.
"We need to think outside the box, and if this is a way to do it, then I am for it," said board member Barbara Flores.
Board member Judi Penman said she liked the charter-school idea but didn't see the situation as a positive overall.
"I feel that we have been improving slowly, and I don't like being told by the state what to do," she said.
The six elementary, two middle and three high schools landed on the list of the state's worst last month.
The designation requires school districts to implement one of four corrective actions at each school - the three discussed at the meeting and a fourth, closing the school.
The list was built using a three-year average proficiency rate for English language arts and mathematics. Schools were also evaluated by their progress on the state's Academic Performance Index during the last five years.
Schools on the list have until June 1 to apply for federal School Improvement Grants that would bring $50,000 to $2 million to each struggling campus.
District officials said Tuesday that once decisions are made by the board, the options they suggested would begin at the start of the next school year.
School board president Danny Tillman warned of rushing into the changes.
"I think there is a lot of risk involved," he said. "If we make changes that are not successful then we will be held accountable." At the bottom
These San Bernardino City Unified schools ranked among the worst 5 percent in the state:
Barton Elementary
Davidson Elementary
Hunt Elementary
Marshall Elementary
Rio Vista Elementary
Wilson Elementary
Serrano Middle
Shandin Hills Middle
Arroyo Valley High
Pacific High
San Gorgonio High
Schools at which the principal would be replaced and other reforms put in place are Marshall Elementary, Serrano Middle School and Arroyo Valley and San Gorgonio high schools.
At Barton and Davidson elementary schools, which have shown the greatest need for significant change, the principal would be replaced and existing staff would be screened with up to 50 percent retained.
Late Tuesday, school board members were still discussing what steps to take next.
While some at the meeting saw it as an opportunity to make a fresh start, others felt pressured by the state to move quickly on the interventions.
"We need to think outside the box, and if this is a way to do it, then I am for it," said board member Barbara Flores.
Board member Judi Penman said she liked the charter-school idea but didn't see the situation as a positive overall.
"I feel that we have been improving slowly, and I don't like being told by the state what to do," she said.
The six elementary, two middle and three high schools landed on the list of the state's worst last month.
The designation requires school districts to implement one of four corrective actions at each school - the three discussed at the meeting and a fourth, closing the school.
The list was built using a three-year average proficiency rate for English language arts and mathematics. Schools were also evaluated by their progress on the state's Academic Performance Index during the last five years.
Schools on the list have until June 1 to apply for federal School Improvement Grants that would bring $50,000 to $2 million to each struggling campus.
District officials said Tuesday that once decisions are made by the board, the options they suggested would begin at the start of the next school year.
School board president Danny Tillman warned of rushing into the changes.
"I think there is a lot of risk involved," he said. "If we make changes that are not successful then we will be held accountable." At the bottom
These San Bernardino City Unified schools ranked among the worst 5 percent in the state:
Barton Elementary
Davidson Elementary
Hunt Elementary
Marshall Elementary
Rio Vista Elementary
Wilson Elementary
Serrano Middle
Shandin Hills Middle
Arroyo Valley High
Pacific High
San Gorgonio High
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