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Majority opposed to combining school districts

Reorganization criteria presented to four school districts; most speak out against proposal or want more fiscal analysis

Carmen George

(Updated: Thursday, June 09, 2011, 4:46 PM)

Residents attended public hearings last week in overwhelming opposition to a proposal to combine the Yosemite, Chawanakee, Bass Lake and Raymond-Knowles school districts, packing gymnasiums and meeting rooms to voice concerns. Compared to the sea of opponents, only one person spoke in support of the unification, with another handful undecided.

The public meetings, with one held in each of the four districts that may be affected, were hosted by the Madera County Committee on School District Organization. In Madera County, the county board of education serves as the organization committee.

"The county committee is mindful of the importance of community positions," said Sally Frazier, past superintendent of schools for Madera County. "It is important to note that this county committee has not made up its mind as the feasibility study has not been presented to it and these public hearings are just now being conducted. For those community members who believe, or who have been led to believe, this is a done deal, that is simply not the case."

Before each of the public comment periods, Frazier presented a brief history of school district reorganization discussions and meetings.

Frazier said within the past year, some districts have experienced continued declining student enrollment, along with calls from community members requesting information about how to develop citizens' petitions for alternative school district configurations. With state funding also reduced, and Yosemite Unified limiting its interdistrict transfers, the county decided to develop proposals for alternative school district configurations, holding eight information/input sessions in the foothill communities in January.

Those sessions resulted in eight to 10 possible district configuration scenarios. The county superintendent's office calculated blended revenue limits for each option, which were verified by School Services of California Inc. Those numbers helped the organization committee narrow possible options down to two in March -- a unification of all four districts; or a transfer of Rivergold Elementary from Yosemite Unified to Chawanakee Unified, and a merging of the Bass Lake and Yosemite districts.

The county hired Curt Polluck, a private consultant retired from School Services, to do further analysis of the two options based on 2009-2010 financial information. The committee selected the four-district unification scenario in May as the best option for further study.

Superintendents of the Chawanakee and Raymond-Knowles formally requested the county leave their districts out of the unification proposal.

Steve Raupp, Yosemite Unified superintendent, said his district is waiting to receive completed fiscal analysis from the county before it takes a position regarding the proposed unification. Raupp said the county's preliminary feasibility study has investigated what the blended revenue limit would look like, but that it still needs to look at the expenditure side, which is more difficult, and present a multi-year budget projection.

"While we understand that people have questions and concerns, I still think it makes sense for the county to complete the fiscal analysis to see what the impact may be from a financial perspective," Raupp said. "Concerns about government structure and size of the district not withstanding, I think, given the economic times we're dealing with, it makes sense to explore every avenue to bring additional resources to serve students. I think the reason the county committee moved that proposal (the four-district unification) forward is because the primary fiscal analysis showed it was the most viable of the options being looked at."

Glenn Reid, Bass Lake superintendent, said he is also interested in seeing more detailed budget information and a multi-year projection before he takes a stance.

"I, and I suspect, many board members, would hate to come out in favor of a unification effort only to see the new district fall on hard economic times in a couple of years," Reid said.

A completed feasibility study will be presented to the County Committee on School District Organization with a recommendation from county superintendent Cecilia Massetti and her staff at its next meeting, Tuesday, June 14, including "additional budget and financial analysis" and "supporting information."

Geri Kendall Cox, Madera County Office of Education chief business and administrative services officer, said the state board only asks if a reorganization is "financially feasible" and is not specific, with no multi-year budget projection listed as a requirement. As of Monday afternoon, Cox said more information about what additional budget information may be included in the completed feasibility report was not available because the report is not yet finalized.

Polluck's fiscal analysis report regarding combining the four districts provided the following conclusion: "The proposal could have a neutral effect on the fiscal status of the proposed district. With the leveling up of the revenue limit providing the proposed unification with more than $1 million, until the new bargaining agreements are developed and the cost of employee salaries determined, the actual fiscal impact of the proposed unification is unknown."

Polluck's conclusions also include that unification could help save money by reducing the number of buses, and by combining some special education classes.

"We're taking into consideration our own analysis of the criteria, all the work that's been done so far, and all the public input," Cox said. "That's all being pulled together into the completed feasibility report."

Following Frazier's comments, Cox presented criteria the state looks at when considering the reorganization of a school district, but added the state specifies it may still approve a reconfiguration where all criteria is not met.

The nine criteria outlined in California Education Code Section 35753 regarding reconfiguration are as follows:

Maintain an adequate number of pupils. Cox said the unification proposal puts the average daily attendance count at about 3,900, far exceeding the 1,501 minimum for unified districts.

Organization on the basis of substantial community identity. Cox said "community identity" is more difficult to define, so this criteria is still being assessed.

Result in equitable division of property and facilities. Cox said because unification is a "pooling of assets," not a division, this criteria is met.

No racial or ethnic discrimination would be promoted. Cox said this usually applies to a transfer or division of territory, and does not apply to this unification.

No significant increase in costs to the state. Cox said the preliminary feasibility report based on a one-year budget indicates there would be no significant increase.

Educational programs will not be significantly disrupted. Cox said this issue is more complex, and is still under review.

No significant increase in school facility costs. Cox said the unification proposal meets this criteria.

The reorganization should not be primarily designed to increase in property values, causing financial advantage to property owners. Cox said the proposal meets this criteria.

No substantial negative effect on the fiscal management or fiscal status of any of the districts. Cox said the county is not sure if the proposal meets this criteria, and still needs more review.

Frazier said it would be premature to issue any possible timeline for future proceedings until after the June 14 meeting, but when asked last week if the county would adopt another district reconfiguration plan if the four-district unification plan is dismissed, she said not necessarily. Frazier said the county is also required to put whatever district reconfiguration plan it may adopt on a future ballot, and that the committee cannot override a vote of opposition by the people.