The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors today voted to ask LAUSD to allow students who have transferred to public schools out of the district to finish their education in other school districts.
From City New Service:
LOS ANGELES -The Board of Supervisors today sought to modify a plan by the Los Angeles Unified School District to cancel "interdistrict permits," which enable students who live within LAUSD boundaries to go to schools in other districts.
Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said students should be allowed to finish out their education at their current elementary, middle or high schools before being forced to attend an LAUSD school.
The district should "do this rationally, in a phased-in approach," rather than canceling all transfer permits summarily, Yaroslavsky said.
As proposed by the LAUSD, students enrolled outside the LAUSD would have to transfer to LAUSD schools this summer, unless they have less a year left to graduation or promotion to the next level of schooling.
Superintendent Ramon Cortines and the LAUSD Board of Education are hoping that canceling interdistrict permits will save about $51 million in state funding.
The change is expected to affect about 80 percent of the 12,000-plus students granted interdistrict permits. In Torrance alone, 2,169 students attend school under the transfer permits.
But Yaroslavsky said the LAUSD's gain will be a revenue loss to other districts, calling it a "zero-sum game."
The board voted unanimously to send a letter to the LAUSD asking for the change.
This is absolutely a step in the right directions, but not a complete solution. When it comes to special programs like the Italian Language program that we attend in GUSD, the new proposal would help current students, but not future ones, leaving the program to be cancelled due to low Glendale Resident enrollment.
How about all the families that have more the one child. Now they will have children in two school districts. What does that do to the family time. No vacation together, no sharing stories about their school and teachers to their siblings. This will have a toll on family life as we know it.
It is too late to apply for a magnet school in LAUSD. My child would be home schooled, what happens to that money?
How about we grandfather out the students who are all ready settled into a district that fits that child.
How about what all the students are feeling right now? I see some students getting worried already and their grades will drop due to stress from what is going on. Please for the students, think about what you are doing not just about the money!!!
I appreciate the effort. But this would not help my son, an 8th grader going into high school this fall.
please let us finish our school years in the place we want to go. WE only go through high school once!!!!
I applaud the Board of Supervisors for taking this stance on the permit issue and for looking at the "big picture" as it relates to these students and other districts. I realize that there are a variety of reasons for requesting permits, and plenty of arguments in favor of denying them- they cannot all be addressed here. But one cannot blame parents for seeking out the best educational opportunities for their children. Work to improve the underperforming LAUSD schools, continue to establish innovative/alternative learning centers, and lower the drop-out rates-- it can be a "win" for all sides. The district, parents, and communities in general, all need to be a part of this improvement process!
Way to go Yev, stand up to the big bad guy.