District enrollment could drop
By Chris Boyd, Peninsula News
Friday, April 25, 2008 5:44 PM PDT
A consultant for the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District told School Board members Thursday that enrollment might drop significantly in the next five years, resulting in a loss of revenue.
“Right now it looks like we could be down as much as 300 or 400 students,” said Superintendent Walker Williams.
District officials want to offset the decline partially by offering extended-day, 20-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio kindergarten classes at all campuses next year in the hope that the program will woo some parents away from private schools.
“Now that we’re moving closer to a private school schedule, we hope to pick up more students,” Williams said. “We’ve heard from enough parents that it’s all about the [extended] schedule.”
While that may help to pick up 50 to 100 students, the district still faces a deficit of about 300 as enrollment across California declines. “That’s something we’re going to have to watch as we go forward the next few years,” Williams said. “We’ve gone through this before as a School District.”
While Williams doesn’t anticipate the need to close any schools, the loss of average-daily-attendance funds from the state — each student currently brings in about $5,800 — could mean teacher layoffs.
“It does drop your bottom line in terms of enrollment. When you do that kind of math, it adds up to big numbers,” he said. “You just have to watch it, plan for it and come up with solutions if it happens. You have to make the necessary cuts to go along with the drop in enrollment.”
Save Our Teachers update
There was good news for teachers Thursday, when the Peninsula Education Foundation announced it has raised nearly $750,000 as part of its district-wide Save Our Teachers Now campaign. PEF officials, in partnership with local PTAs and booster clubs, are trying to raise $1.2 million by May 15 to save 24 teachers’ jobs and keep class sizes smaller in third and ninth grade.
“The PTAs are working hard. We have students trying to raise the money … Everybody is really digging in and trying to help,” Williams said. “The way things are going, it just amazes me what this community is willing to do. I think [$1.2 million] is attainable.”
“It’s been outstanding. We’re almost two-thirds of the way to our goal,” said PEF President David Wagman. “Getting the last third is going to take a real push. We’re all kind of working double time right now.”
cboyd@pvnews.com
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