Briefing on Declining Enrollment & Facility Impact Usage Impacts to the District Workshop Held on November 16, 2005

Background:

Alameda Unified School District has been experiencing declining enrollment for the past five years. With the loss of students comes a loss of revenues and the need to make budget reductions. A portion of the budget cuts enacted in 2001 ($1.6 million) 2003 ($1.7 million) and 2005 ($1.6 million) can be attributed to declining enrollment. Staff presented information about the impacts of declining enrollment and presented scenarios to address the problem.

Overview and Process

Educational Impact for Small Elementary Schools

While the research can not agree what constitutes a small school, we will address schools smaller than 200 students.

Disadvantages of Small Elementary Schools:

1. INSTRUCTION
• Challenge to provide meaningful intervention
• Less flexibility for GATE/ELL/general placement
• Fewer itinerant workers are available to support students
• No critical mass for meaningful collaboration at grade level
• Not enough teachers to take on leadership roles in curriculum, etc
2. RESOURCES
• Same amount of work and fewer to people to do it
• District resources cannot be maximized for programs such as Title 1, English Language Learners and Special Education

Advantages of Small Elementary Schools:

1. BUILDING A SCHOOL COMMUNITY
• Easier to strong sense of community with smaller numbers
• Students have a sense of feeling safe and not being lost in the crowd
• Individual students needs are more apparent even though it is challenging to meet those identified needs
2. BUILDING STRONG COMMUNICATION
• Communication is easier and more personal
• Fewer teachers so principals can provide more focused support to teachers

Problem Statement and Consideration/Criteria

Problem Statement

In the last five years, AUSD has experienced declining enrollment. In that same five year period, AUSD routinely collapsed and consolidated classes at West End schools due to the declining enrollment.

Essential Questions

• How can AUSD address declining enrollment and the use of facilities so that we maximize our resources and provide educational programs that continue to improve student achievement?
• What is the financial impact of declining enrollment and small schools to AUSD?
• What are the criteria that need to be considered when making decisions about school consolidation and facilities?
• What options have been explored and what are the pros and cons of these options?

Criteria for school consolidation decision-making

• All students relocated into another school will have appropriate facilities and the same program opportunities such as: Special Education, Title I, GATE, and English Language Development
• The consolidation of any school will result in cost savings to the District and the maimizing of facilities and personnel resources
• School considered for consolidation have a current and projected/growth of less than 250
• School consolidation will maintain the concept of nieghborhood schools for the relocated students
• The identification of the alternatives use for any consolidated school will be a part of the consolidation plans

Timeline & Implementation Plans Will Ensure:

• All community stakeholders are informed of the decision being recommended to the Baord of Education no later than December 13, 2005
• All families and students know their school assignments for 2006/07 no later than February 1, 2006
• All employee group negotiations of impacts are addressed no later than May 15, 2006

Trend Analysis of Declining Enrollment

District-Wide Enrollment

Financial Impact of Declining Enrollment

In 2004-05 school AUSD experienced a decline of 171 students at approximately $5000 per student or $855,000. The District did not hire 5 teachers and saved approximately $250,000. The net loss to the District was $605,000.

Potential Savings of School Consolidation

• Consolidating two smallest schools

Position Reduced	Saving Assumption
1 Principal	$100,000
1 Teacher	$50,000
1 Secretary	$50,000
.9 Other Clerical	$23,393
2.0 Custodians	$90,000
Total	$313,393

• Consolidating three smallest schools

Position Reduced	Saving Assumption
2 Principals	$200,000
1 Teacher	$50,000
2 Secretaries	$100,000
1.1 Other Clerical	$27,234
4.0 Custodians	$180,000
Total	$607,234

Here is a news article on the new owners of the Harbor Island Apartments. They plan to name the apartments Summer House and have created this website.

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Last modified: November 16, 2005

Disclaimer: This website is the sole responsibility of Mike McMahon. It does not represent any official opinions, statement of facts or positions of the Alameda Unified School District. Its sole purpose is to disseminate information to interested individuals in the Alameda community.