L.A. district withdraws offers of space to 7 charter schools
May 1, 2008 11:37 AM
Just a month after the Los Angeles Unified School
District offered space on its campuses for nearly 40 charter schools,
district officials have withdrawn seven of the offers and are considering
yanking five more. The withdrawals come amid a growing outcry by the teachers
union as well as charter schools and traditional schools unhappy with the
prospect of sharing dozens of campuses. Senior Deputy Superintendent Ray
Cortines says he has decided to withdraw the offers based on the "instructional
impacts the charter co-location would impose." The move drew immediate outrage
from charter leaders.
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The Los Angeles Daily News article.
EARLIER:
Seeking to calm a backlash at traditional Los Angeles schools, a top
district official promised this week to reconsider offers of classroom space on
those campuses to charter schools. The idea of privately operated charter
schools sharing space with regular schools was met with fury at many affected
campuses, including Taft High in Woodland Hills and Crenshaw
High in South Los Angeles. Teachers and parents have complained that their
own reforms and programs would be harmed. Under state law as well as a recent
settlement of litigation, the Los Angeles Unified School District must share
facilities "fairly" with charter school.
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The Los Angeles Times article.
About 40 Los Angeles schools learned last week that classrooms on
their campuses have been offered to charter schools. A little-noticed provision
in a state ballot measure eight years ago requires district facilities to be
shared. Charter operators say the law is clear but contend that, until
this year, the district has never tried to meet its obligation. Only about half
a dozen of 129 charters operating within district boundaries are housed in
district buildings Charter advocates sued and reached a settlement in February.
Click here to read
The Los Angeles Times article.
FROM FEBRUARY: More Los Angeles campuses will have to make room for charter schools,
even if some teachers are forced to give up their classrooms and become roving
instructors, under a litigation settlement approved by the Los Angeles school
board. The agreement requires the school district to inventory all properties
and work directly with charter schools to find space on or off campus. Charter
advocates say finding and paying for facilities is their No. 1 challenge. (Los Angeles Times)
