SPECIAL BOARD MEETING
Santa Rosa City Schools
February 5, 2025
5:30 p.m. – Open Session
Hybrid: Zoom / Santa Rosa High School SOUTH GYM
*** streamed ***
A live link will be posted on the SRCS website.
Board of Education / Video Board Meetings
Please take time to review the following abbreviated version of the agenda. Click here to see the entire agenda. It has live links on many items with more information. If you want to comment to the board about any upcoming items, email agendacomments@srcs.k12.ca.us. Please CC wearesrta@gmail.com on your email.
SRCS would benefit from a vision of what we want to be in five or ten years. Making changes that are in keeping with a long term goal would disrupt the chaos of schools feeling pitted against each other, and instead allow everyone to unify over a common direction.
SRTA members support the board being as diligent about the other two large budget reduction measures as they are with the school closures. The first of these is $5 million in ongoing cost savings for Special Services. The second is $5 million in ongoing cost savings for adjusting all staffing ratios, including district and site level. The board is supported in studying these efforts and achieving transparency in communicating the specifics of intention, as well as tracking the actual cost savings achieved and evaluating these measures. How much redesign is reasonable before August?
SRTA strongly supports the Fiscal Analysis Board Subcommittee. There is hope that this new structure will help the board to provide rational guidance.
SRTA is philosophically opposed to closing schools. Any school closing will hurt students, hurt families and hurt educators. School closures destroy communities and leave wounds that do not heal quickly, or ever. However, some school closures or consolidation may be inevitable. We request that the board make decisions that mitigate damage. The path forward should be chosen to bring the least harm to students, community and staff.
B.1. Public Hearing: School Consolidation and Closure
A “public hearing” is a formal meeting where members of the public are invited to express their opinions and concerns regarding a proposed plan or action by a government agency or organization, allowing them to provide input before a decision is made on the matter; essentially, it’s a structured opportunity for citizen participation in decision-making processes. Similarly, like public comment, the board can limit the amount of time for the hearing to ensure they can conduct the district business.
Draft Closure Committee Report
A 2021 analysis by the Oakland school district of the financial impact of their closures,
mergers and expansions of 12 different schools found a $700,000 loss due to those school “redesigns,” with a net loss of student enrollment.
Oakland Unified School District Board Agenda, Resolution 2021-0128. May 12, 2021.
SRTA wonders how SRCS will be able to have enrollment and scheduling completed in a timely manner, when this is so difficult in a typical year without the additional constraints of site closures. What additional funds will need to be spent to accommodate the tight timeline? SRTA expects the actual costs and savings from these decisions will be tracked and transparently communicated.
A study of school closures on high school students in Milwaukee Public Schools found that the closures caused negative impacts on both the GPAs and attendance of students at the closed schools.
Larsen, Matthew. 2014. Does Closing Schools Close Doors? The Effect of High School Closings on Achievement and Attainment. Education Research Alliance for New Orleans, Tulane University.
SRTA is concerned about the impact on students. The SRCS website FAQ on closures states, “Support services will be available to help students adjust.” What will these services be, and how will students access them? What will be the cost of these additional student supports? SRTA expects student academic performance to be systematically monitored, and the GPA and attendance of students impacted by the closures to be tracked and transparently communicated.
B.2. (Discussion) School Consolidation and Closure
The Board of Trustees will receive the recommendation from the School Consolidation/Closure Committee as to the consolidation and closure of schools in the district.
SRTA expects that answers to questions raised by the board, which require research, will be included in the item attachments for the following board meeting.