School Closures in FVSD?

Fountain Valley School District administrators are considering the closing of one or more schools in the district and adjusting attendance boundaries of all schools in an effort to maximize efficiency within the schools, while continuing to provide top quality services to students and their families during these difficult economic times.

“To date, the district has cut as much as we can from last year, but we haven’t heard from the state regarding budgetary issues, and we are now in the process of developing a budget for the upcoming school year, and planning for years to come,” said Judy Edwards, Fountain Valley School Distrct president.

Pending results of a proposed study, the district could elect to close a school, effective sometime after July 2012, Edwards said. A fact-finding committee is now being formed to study options and evaluate cost issues associated with potential changes to current schools. The school board voted to form a task force comprised of parent representatives from each school, community representatives and school employee group representatives.

The committee is also charged with conducting in-depth analyses of the cost-effectiveness of operating the schools in the current system and comparing results to a plan that would eliminate a school from the mix, Edwards said. However, factors beyond budget issues will be strongly considered in any recommendation that comes from the committee. They will complete their investigation and report to the board by October. Public comment will be welcomed, and pending any decision to close any school, a public forum will be held to allow citizens opportunity to offer opinions.

Even with cost-cutting measures in place, the district struggles to balance budgets, and now some drastic measures must be considered. “FVSD business managers are developing a budget based on a worst case scenario, just in case,” Edwards said. “Although this is a difficult process, we must be realistic to the fact that it costs money to open each school each day. We must fill up our classrooms in each school; otherwise we are not fiducially responsible, so we have to look at the possibility of school closure.”

“At this time, no decisions on this subject have been made, and no particular school is under particular consideration,” Edwards added.