The charter school battle
Los Angeles Unified officials are considering opening as many as five long-closed school sites in the San Fernando Valley to house hundreds of charter school students. George Sanchez in the Daily News.
The sites have been closed since the early 1980s because of declining enrollment, but growing demand for charter space has prompted officials to renew a plan that drew heated debate six years ago and is again drawing community resistance.
But with the LAUSD required to accommodate charters under state law, despite continuing strains on classroom space, district officials said they are eyeing all options.
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Los Angeles Daily News City Hall reporter Rick Orlov writes about politics on the local, state and national stage.
LAUSD is making some progress, but it has a long way to go to demonstrate it really understands charters deserve more than scraps and leftovers. Charters are adding high-value, free public education choices across LA for kids and parents that really need them!
Alicia Lozano
Northeast LA
Most of the charter schools are very successful in academics. Their biggest challenge is facility. Why not to give a vacant, not used facility to these schools so they can better serve to LA children. Charter school students also deserve to get an excellent education in a NORMAL school buildings.
I am pleased to hear that these buildings are being considered for their original purpose. Charter schools are showing results...let's not stunt their growth by prohibiting them access to the facilities they need. I completely understand that these same buildings could be used for other great purposes, but I hope that no one comes to the table seeing only two options. Let's figure out a way to have both sides win.
LAUSD is doing a disservice to L.A.'s students, parents, educators, and community members when it leaves buildings that were built to educate students empty. Charter schools have a legal right to the space and charter school children have the civil right to be educated in a safe, comfortable environment--bottom line is it's about educating our kids.
It is absolutely flabbergasting to understand why LAUSD wouldn't immediately take action to make its closed campuses available to charter schools. Prop 39 amended Section 47614 of the CA Ed Code to ensure that students who attend a charter school in their district of residence have facilities that are sufficient and reasonably equivalent to classrooms and buildings in the district.
The intent of Proposition 39 is such that:
•“…public school facilities should be shared fairly among all public school pupils, including those in charter schools.”
•“Students in public charter schools should be entitled to reasonable access to a safe and secure learning environment.”
Where is the equity (or the rationale) in holding back closed campuses from charter schools in need of space? The fundamental issue that often gets overlooked in this discussion is that charter schools are public schools. Thus, the public school system must act to take care of its own students.
LAUSD is doing a disservice to students, parents, educators, and community when it holds onto empty buildings instead of offering them to charter schools who need them. Charter schools have a legal right to the space and students have a civil right to be educated in safe, comfortable environments. Charters are doing great work everyday and their students are performing well--they should be applauded, not hindered. The bottom line is: it's about our kids!