Closing of Cory School (2005)

The following Q&A were distributed by the San Jose Unified School District.


San Jose Unified School Consolidation
Questions and Answers

1. Why close schools?

The District decision to consolidate schools is based upon the Criteria For Consolidation of Schools at the Elementary Level that bases the determination upon when "the two-year trend for K-5 enrollment is projected to decline or remain at 75% of the District's K-5 instructional capacity." District declining enrollment along with the current and projected State educational budget crisis has created the need for addressing school consolidation.

2. What criteria were used to determine school closure?

Areas for evaluation for determining school consolidation included a number of criteria under 4 broad categories: 1) facilities (i.e., school neighborhood capacity); 2) demographics (i.e., population trends); 3) transportation/safety (i.e., proximity of adjacent schools, traffic flow); and 4) fiscal (i.e., projected 3-year cost savings).

3. What was the process for evaluating schools against the criteria?

A 15-member School Consolidation Task Force, representing parents, principals, teachers and district staff was created and charged with the responsibility of assessing school consolidation based upon the key criteria. The Committee was given 3 middle schools and 8 elementary schools to evaluate and prioritize against the criteria. The committee's evaluation was then given to the District Staff and Superintendent for further analysis and recommendation to the Board of Education.

4. What staff were involved in making the final assessment for closure?

Representatives from Transportation, Educational Services, Maintenance, Administrative Services, External Programs, Facilities and Construction, Human Resources and Fiscal Services participated in the preliminary recommendations.

5. What were the results of the staff analysis?

After a careful review of the Committee's report, District staff drafted a preliminary recommendation to the Board of Education to consolidate Steinbeck Middle School. The Board of Education took Action on this recommendation, December 9, 2004, voting to close Steinbeck Middle School. Staff has made a preliminary recommendation to consolidate Cory and Randol Elementary Schools.

6. What was the rationale for closing each school based on the criteria?

CORY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Facilities:

  • Transitional building exists for move to Trace
  • Cory/Trace can share facilities as a K-5
  • Bachrodt can handle new boundary students

Demographics

  • Smallest number of students to move
  • Students move to K-5 structure at their feeder school
  • Manageable boundary/Stockton Ave. boundary

Transportation:

  • Savings of $140,000 for buses -- eliminating 2 routes

Financial:

  • Cost Savings at $512,000
    The highest 03 Budget savings

Choice/ Voluntary Integration Plan (VIP):

  • Neutral

RANDOL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Facilities:

  • Least impact (portables costs) to other sites
  • Moving Randol students to Allen -- increases the school sites to 700

Demographics

  • Small resident population
  • Small attendance boundary
  • Least number of students to move
  • Students would not have to cross Blossom Hill to get to school
  • No schools over 700 students
  • Furthest school in the SE corner of SJUSD -- isolated
  • Keeps boundaries for the remaining schools logical

Transportation:

  • Limited cost to transportation -- 2 routes equaling $140,000

Financial:

  • Five (5) new administrators would be needed at the surrounding schools should Allen close -- least amount of cost
  • Closing Randol school incurs the least amount of cost

Choice/Voluntary Integration Plan (VIP):

  • Neutral

7. Where will the students currently attending the schools targeted for closure be assigned?

Most students currently attending Cory will attend Trace. Some students will be attending Bachrodt. Students newly assigned to the Bachrodt area may grandfather to Trace. Siblings may not.

Students currently attending Randol will attend Allen.

8. What are the General Fund cost savings that we can expect to see over a 3 year period of time?

The estimated net savings are:

Cory:

  • Year one: $511,868
  • Year two: $538,332
  • Year three: $566,438

Randol:

  • Year one: $303,741
  • Year two: $321,272
  • Year three: $436,169

9. Where will the teachers be assigned?

Teachers will be assigned according to the following agreement with the San Jose Teachers' Association: 1) teacher preference to follow students; 2) recent assignments; 3) seniority; 4) student needs.

10. What is the process for public input over the next few weeks?

We have planned further opportunities for public comment on these preliminary recommendations. There will be two public forums before final recommendations are presented to the Board of Education. These will be held at the San Jose Unified District Office Board Room, 855 Lenzen Ave., San Jose, on January 10, and January 13, 2005 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. In addition, the public has the opportunity to speak at the regularly scheduled Board of Education meetings.

11. When will the Board officially make a recommendation on school closure?

The Board of Education will have its first Public Hearing on the staff's finalized recommendations for School Consolidation at the regularly scheduled Board meeting on January 20, 6:30 p.m. The Board of Education will officially act on the recommendation for School Consolidation at the regularly scheduled February 3, 2005 Board of Education meeting. The public has the opportunity to speak at Board of Education meetings.

12. What will be the process for transitioning schools affected by the closure?

Consolidating schools requires a great deal of transition planning. In moving this process forward, we will begin work with our Consolidation Task Force to initially address general concerns of transition. Soon after, staff will develop a transition plan that will include participation from parents, students, staff and community.

13. A promise to our community....

Deciding to close a school is one of the hardest budget decisions a Board of School Trustees can make. We are facing this chaIlenge by doing our best to provide educational facilities that will contInue to ensure the safest and most rewarding learning environments for all of our students. It is our intent to work cooperatively and respectfully to ensure that the interests of all of our students are considered first and foremost throughout. this transition process. Following the actions of the Board on February 3, we will keep you informed of the process and timeline to follow.