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Some classrooms may see an extra student or two this year following action by the Board of Education as school administrators in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District prepare for the start of another school year.
At a special meeting Friday morning, Aug. 14, board members approved a resolution that would give district staff flexibility to increase K-3 and ninth-grade class sizes up to a maximum of 22:1.
A number of factors combined to bring the issue before the board. The recently approved state budget resulted in an additional funding cut of $6.5 million. The reduction, coupled with the news this week that they would be losing any additional revenue for keeping new classes to the 20:1 level, would result in serious budget issues for the district.
In addition, according to Assistant Superintendent Christine Williams, maintaining the 20:1 class size ratio would result in nearly every school being full and more than 300 students being diverted to other schools in the district. In one case, Williams said, a family with four children were having to deal with the possibility of their children being split up among different schools.
“We still have a handful of students we don’t know where they’ll be this year,” Williams said.
Williams explained to the board that allowing flexibility to a maximum of 22 students per classroom would eliminate nearly all of the diversions. It would also keep the staffing levels stable, with a slight increase in teachers and would save the district an estimated $600,000-$800,000.
Based on current enrollment figures, Williams estimated that somewhere around 20 percent of the effected classrooms would see a population increase and very few would increase to the maximum of 22 students.
Superintendent Steve Enoch explained that
the savings would come from the district not hiring nearly two dozen additional teachers to staff the classrooms required by the lower ratio. He added that those teachers in all likelihood would have been laid off at the end of the school year regardless, as the increasing financial difficulties forced the district to move to the higher classroom ratios.
“We face an incredibly challenging budget process and we need to seize any opportunity we can,” Enoch said.
School Board Member Greg Marvel said he can understand the need for making the change but he counseled the board members to hold off until their Aug. 18 meeting.
“The vast majority of taxpayers voted (on Measure C) in large part to save class sizes,” he said. “If we, at the last minute, when parents think this issue was resolved, approve going above 20:1, we’ll see a massive political uproar.”
Marvel said he felt that because class sizes were a large part of the discussion on Measure C, many parents would feel betrayed by the board’s action and it could conceivably harm any future chances for the district to pass a bond issue or parcel tax measure.
He added, “I have an issue with increasing class sizes when we have yet to receive any concessions from our employee unions, including management.”
Board members agreed with the concern but said the situation requires immediate action.
“Being fiscally responsible means we have to be nimble when circumstances change. Circumstances have changed,” said Board Member Paul Gardner.
“If we do our job right and communicate I think this could be good for us,” agreed Trustee Rachel Hurd.
Board Member Ken Mintz asked how delaying the decision to Tuesday would affect the situation. Williams explained that the families on diversion need to get registered at their respective schools, administrators need to get classrooms set up and class lists made, and the district would need to hire teachers to have them in place before the Aug. 25 start date.
“I don’t want anyone to get the impression that we’re making quick decisions,” Mintz stated, “but at the same time we’re elected and appointed to make prudent financial decisions.”
Board President Bill Clarkson said that with the constant stream of cuts coming from Sacramento, districts are left with few options. He added that while making the decision Friday may not be the most politically expedient, it is the right decision given the situation.
“I think we have to have the courage to make decisions. We’re not shutting the public out, but we need to act on this now,” he said.
After a lengthy discussion about the issue, the board voted in favor of giving staff the flexibility to increase class sizes up to a maximum of 22:1. The vote was 4-1 with Greg Marvel voting against.
The class size issue will be a discussion item at the Aug. 18 meeting. Clarkson said they will give an update on the situation, explain to those attending how they came to the decision, and provide more statistical data about how many classrooms will be affected.
Thank you trustees for doing the bloody obvious. And the vast majority of taxpayers didn’t vote for measure c, let alone to maintain class sizes at the ludicrous and arbitrary 20:1 ratio. Most parents will not feel betrayed by raising class sizes by such a ridiculously small amount. Teachers unions, on the other hand, most certainly will
I support this decision. Circumstances have changed, and we have to change too.
This was obviously the right decision by the Board. The reasons Mr. Marvel gives for not supporting it really are suspect. It seems he is more interested in grinding down the employees, than making a decision that any person with common sense would support.
I have no kids in this district but still voted yes on Measure C hoping that the school board would act responsibly. And you did! Thank you!
Good to see so many people in agreement! I thought the decisions made were the most fiscally responsible that were possible and will still allow kids the opportunity to learn without severe overcrowding.
Greetings Rick,
Bloody Hell, I thought that you hate all other culutural sayings? I guess you have ran out of vocabulary. In some of your rants I remember you saying that you were going to organize a protest before school starts so everybody could see it. Tell me when it is and where ad I will be happy to support you along with some of my friends.
I think that you are doing a great job supporting the community.
I heard that the school district, besides the layoff agreed with the bargain units were just bullocks, becuase SRVUSD hired some new administrator with top $$$, and sign in bonus. Perghaps you would like to find more about it ad share it with the community. I am relying on your good sorting skills, to sort this mess made.
About this desicion it is just nonsense.
Cheers,
Kasper
Kasper, I have no idea what you were trying to get across in your drunken rambling. Were you purposely trying to misspell everything, or were you just intoxicated? And is your name really Kasper, or is that just a cute and clever bloggername? If the latter be true, it might be more fitting to go by Buckwheat.
Let me first start by saying that two more kids in a classroom isn’t the end of the world. It isn’t likely to change the learning landscape drastically. Now on to my point.
The SRVUSD has a credibility problem. I believe that is what Mr. Marvel was speaking to. Those spearheading the Measure C campaign used preserving class-size reduction as a main focal point to sway voters to vote Yes of Measure C. Was it the only point, no — but it was a big one.
Then, after the Measure passes we hear that the 20:1 ratio can only be preserved for the coming school year and that all bets are off for the 2010-11 school year. Now we hear that they will not even preserve it for this school year.
I understand that things change…. that is life. However, when you put your word behind something and fail to deliver, then it becomes a credibility problem. Don’t make campaign promises, or use scare tactics in an effort to get “yes” votes and then fail to follow through.
SRVUSD…wake up and smell the coffee…. you are going to have a very hard time passing another parcel tax.
Rick;
Kasper, I have no idea what you were trying to get across in your drunken rambling.
I do not see that my writing is rambling. If you know how to correctly place the word in a sentence.
Were you purposely trying to misspell everything, or were you just intoxicated?
Unfortunately, I do not do drugs or drink because I am not American…
And is your name really Kasper, or is that just a cute and clever bloggername?
Listen, you old sad cow. I am not sure on what kinds of psychotropics you are on, but you should see your doctor to get the dosage adjusted. Perhaps your drugs are interacting.
If the latter be true, it might be more fitting to go by Buckwheat.
Buckwheat??? What is wrong with you? I do not understand this anger that you have stored, and cast it on others. You should channel this anger into some productivity.
Remember this:
Posted by Rick, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on May 6, 2009 at 10:21 am
It’s time to take action people. I am telling everyone I know to contact our local and state governments. I am personally telling them to wait until we can all call at around the same time and inundate the heck out of them. Sometimes the trickle effect doesn’t work well. I am starting to organize street protests as well. People are gone in the summer, but when everyone is back around before school, this movement will be kicking off. No more endangering our children! Until then, rally the forces, bug the government as much as you can, and do not lose the fire.
Where are your forces? You have an abnormal behavior.
Are you unemployed, invalid, or a con writing from the jail cell?
Kasper, I understand your exasperation with Rick, but you should just sit back and enjoy the show. Rick is like Danville’s version Sarah Palin: he makes little sense, lacks any intelligence or evidence of formal education, uses cutesy postings to offset the lack of substance, and tries to stir emotion through ranting and false rage. I doubt he’s half as good looking and is probably twice her age, but maybe he can see Alaska from his front yard?!
I am the school board member who voted no on the proposal to increase class size. I did it primarily because I felt that the citizens and parents needed an opportunity to hear and comment about the proposed increase. They left for the summer with the promise that the class sizes would stay at 20 to 1. They come back and find that the classes sizes are now increased. I felt strongly that the citizens of this valley needed to voice their opinions prior to the school board taking the action to reverse its earlier decision.
I agree with the comment that changes in circumstances can justify a change in position. The state has cut even more money from our budget (over $6 million) and the issue deserved to be revisited. I felt that one day’s notice before taking the action was too short to give the parents and taypayers an adequate opportunity to voice their support or opposition to the change.
To the reader who felt that my opposition was based solely on the desire to “grind the employees down”, I suggest he come to one of our board meetings and see us in action. I am one of the employees’ biggest supporters. However, the unions that represent those employees have not yet helped us during these difficult financial times. Many public unions in this state have offered up concessions to save jobs, programs for the pubic, and services to kids. That has not happened as yet with the unions that represent SRVUSD employees. We are all faced with difficult decisions in the worst financial crunch to ever hit public schools in this state since the Great Depression. Our cuts to programs will very probably be close to $20,000,000 for last year and this year when all is said and done. Cutting another program that serves kids without the adults standing up and helping to mitigate some of those cuts is incredibly sad.
If Tuesday’s Board meeting has citizens praising the District’s action to increase class size, then I will gladly admit that I was wrong. As I said at the Board meeting, the Superintendent’s recommendation to increase class size to 22 to 1 was very compelling and deserved serious consideration. However, I felt that waiting until Tuesday and giving the public a little more notice was the right thing to do.
Kasper, don’t come at me with the venom you just did then b**** about me being hateful. You are the embodiment of my opponents and their attitude, a strange mix of aggressiveness and whining. I never complain about other people getting angry and rude at me. I just throw it right back. Why don’t you grow a set or stay away from the heat.
Before I answer your questions, entertain a few of mine first. One: why are you stalking me for so long to remember what I said months ago. You’ve got some specific beef, and it seems to me to have to do with the Rylan Fuchs case and/or group homes. If you’ve got beef partner, you be man enough to tell me exactly what it is.
Two: if you’re not an American, what the f*** are you. What country did you come from and where do you live now. If you’re such a tough guy, you’ll have ne problem divulging this info.
Toodaloo
And Aaron, you obviously believe yourself to be witty. I’ll say, you’re skills for debate seem to be limited to celebrity comparisons. I myself do not like Palin, for she’s a puppet of Israel and a hunter of endangered animals. When it comes to the skills it takes to make a point, you and Sarah have far more in common. I, on the other hand, far exceed both of you on this and most indubitably overall IQ. If you’d care to mentally spar and test your wits against me in debate, you’ll see you’re dealing with a superior opponent. But, you seem content with your baseless quips. I bet you are the type who laughs hardest at their own jokes. So keep making yourself giggle. I’ll be here trying to change my town for the better
PS: if you knew anything about me you’d know this rage is certainly not false, especially when it comes to the Fuchs’ case and group homes, which has something to do with Kasper’s beef. That case is what got my homeboys and I locally active in politics and it is our rallying cry. And more people join our ranks by the day. Conservatives aren’t just gonna sit back and take this s*** anymore
Mr. Rick,
You are a very disrespectful, vulgar and ill speaking man. You do not have any respect for the topic of discussion. If you do not understand the main purpose of this article, you should refrain from continuing spewing your hatred, and political propaganda, in this paper.
In regard to the unfortunate death of the local high school juvenile, it is not the business of yours neither of others in this forum, you could contact the detective involved with the investigation to rant and rave your concerns. This student was enrolled in the local high school, but the school is not responsible, of events happening out of the school.
About Kasper, he is not mentioning none of the sort, he is reminding you of your old rant which you seem to have no recollection of. There may be many issues with SRVUSD, but at this time it will be imperative that this newspaper takes action to prevent people like you to use obscene language, and assaulting others, and verbally abusing people.
The board member Greg Marvel is on this forum why don’t you write him back and share with him your anger, and what you would like him to do as a public servant to satisfy your ideologies. Not everyone agrees with you, but I think that this enough of you.
STOP, speaking ill about Israel. Sarah Palin is not favored by the people of Israel. You just like many others are slowing the progress of humanity, and sparking violence about the Middle East, has nothing to do with this little town, which is a bubble in which you and many others live. Get on the airplane and go and explore politics in the Middle East, if that is what you prefer. Our community is nice, and peaceful, people like you are uninviting others to come and live in our lovely neighborhood. Do not speak on behalf of Israel, Israel has not given you any power or permission to speak on their behalf.
I hope that the editor expulses you from Danville Weekly, although you have freedom of speech it would not be a violation to remove you because of your violent speech.
Ulrich
Once again, the SRVUSD lets us down. More promises that they don’t keep. Perhaps next time they want money the citizens should insist to include a clause that states if SRVUSD doesn’t deliver what they promise, the money is no longer available to them.
SRVUSD asks for even more money this year when the kids sign up for their classes. If the school district is having a difficult time with finances, perhaps there should be some pay DECREASES for the upper salaries in the District.
It is very disappointing.
I think that we should all demand the SRVUSD provide each parent with students in our schools to disclose their public records. Including salaries, people in the payroll who do not work at the district, staff members who mooch off the district, and all the legal settlements (including attorney fees, court fees, and perks.) Because it is impossible that this district who receives a lot of public funding is broke. Those who voted for measure C ask where your money is. All board members get salaries, in other districts no board member gets paid 150k+ This info is from a district insider.
Pink Friday was a joke. SRVUSD hired a bunch of new teachers/administrators and suckers. Now, they are in our schools as they need new teachers. And I do not feel sorry for any teacher.
Los Cerros did not have 20 students in a class they have 65 in a classroom, breaking some fire codes.
So do not come here and cry wolf.
The legal fees which cost millions, because staff members scre up big time.
Now I want you Rick to bring your two cents. Here homeboy get to work now. Andale Amigo!! oops you are a gringo.
Good evening folks,
Just a quick note. I removed four posts from this thread this evening as the same person was posting under three different pseudonyms. It is against the Terms of Use to do so, thus the posts were removed.
Thanks
Geoff Gillette