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JUDITH SCOTT - JSCOTT@SIERRASTAR@COM
On Tuesday evening
this week, the Coarsegold Elementary School library found itself filled
with residents, teachers, administrators and board members all in anticipation
of a special joint board meeting of the Coarsegold Union School District
(CUSD) and Yosemite Joint Union High School District (YJUHSD). This was
the night the CUSD and YJUHSD would vote on the unification resolution
No. 534, which would unify Coarsegold Elementary School, Rivergold Elementary
School and Yosemite High School into one school district. After three
hours of deliberation, the unification initiation was approved by both
boards. But in the process of making this decision, debates between members
and audience attendees involved issues that at times stagnated the voting
process.
The evening started with the standard calling to order, Pledge of Allegiance
and a consideration of approval of the Local Education Agency Plan presented
by Erlene Ward, Yosemite High School instructor and Unification committee
member. After the first 15 minutes, Ms. Ward stood and announced that
the Unification Committee unanimously supported the unification project,
and she suggested that the board “move forward with the process of unification.”
That was just the beginning of what would turn out to be a three-hour
debate.
A PowerPoint presentation was presented by Christy White, CPA and partner
of Nigro, Nigro & White. This firm was hired to put together a feasibility
study so the Unification Committee could make its final decision. The
plan for unification is a lengthy process that involves two to three years
and must pass through a series of approvals: board approvals, county approvals,
state approvals and ultimately Madera County voter approvals. At any point,
the unification plan could be terminated, meaning the process of unification
is over.
The presentation by Ms. White included the methodology of the plan, the
new money, small school funding and the final recommendation to board
members.
The methodology of this plan includes nine criteria that the district
must meet to be eligible for the plan. The criteria include district size,
community identity, equitable division of property, no racial/ethnic discrimination,
no significant cost increase to the state, no disruption of educational
programs, no increase in school housing, no increase in property values
and no negative fiscal effects to either district. Needless to say, both
districts meet the criteria specified above. “We want to make sure this
new district is fiscally sound. We are not dividing — we are merging,”
stated Ms. White.
The new money explained by Ms. White is what the new unified district
will received from the unification process. Currently, Yosemite High School
receives $5,450 in average daily attendance (ADA) money per student. Coarsegold
schools receive $4,577 in ADA money per student. If the districts were
to unify, the ADA money per student would increase to $5,557. This shows
an increase of more than $800 per child.
This new money will amount to $1.1 million per year, with more than $400,000
being allocated for salaries and the remaining $691,000 could be utilized,
suggested Ms. White, for class reductions, the hiring of specialists,
expanding pupil services, special need and at-risk student programs and
improvement of grounds and maintenance services. All new money will be
determined by the new governing board of the district.
Small school funding became a big topic for the evening and will be received
by the new district as long as the district remains under the maximum
2,500 students. If the district exceeds 2,500 children, the district will
lose $378,000 annually. The district will still receive more than $400,000
for salaries, but the remaining money will be decreased to $312,688 instead
of the proposed $691,000.
The final recommendation by Ms. White was for the board members to approve
the plan, and send it to the county level for inspection.
After the presentation, CUSD President John Reynolds asked the audience
to respond to the proposed plan. Audience members were mixed, as several
people stood to voice their opinions. Some people were for the unification
plan, while others voiced their concerns about board member representation,
population increases and allocation of funding.
Bill McCabe, superintendent of CUSD and YJUHSD, stated to the audience
to “explore the issue and have the voters vote on it. This process is
very dynamic.” Mr. McCabe was in favor of the merger, and many times during
the evening declared his support. Srinivasan, business manager and chief
financial officer, stood and read from a statement that he had prepared.
Srinivasan took a financial approach to justify the new plan by saying,
“What we could get in five years, we can get in one year with unification.”
After the audience spoke, board members were then asked to state their
interests about the new proposal.
Yosemite Board
Members respond to Proposal
Priscilla Pike, YJUHSD board member-Oakhurst, stated her support of the
unification plan. “I think we will be best represented. I think unification
is the best thing for our children. We have two great school districts
and I think we’ll have one greater school district.”
Tom Allcock, YJUHSD board member president-Ahwahnee, supported the new
plan but stated he had to be convinced. “I don’t see the attendance stopping
at 2,500 [students], but the addition off-sets the deficit. Currently,
I am in favor of the proposition.”
Dave Hartesveldt, YJUHSD board member-Coarsegold, supported the resolution
and said, “Ultimately, we’re serving to do our little bit to make things
better.” He reiterated how important it was that the voters make the final
decision. “Do we trust the voters of this community to make a good decision?”
Mr. Hartesveldt continued, “We can deny them or give them the opportunity
to make the decision. I would like to see the joint boards give the voters
the opportunity.”
Burt McSwain, YJUHSD board member-Bass Lake, made the point by stating
that in a way the district has “been using the unification system for
the last 15 months.” Mr. McSwain is eluding to the fact that the Coarsegold
School District and Yosemite High School District already share four things
in common: a superintendent, business manager and chief financial officer,
transportation and food services. “I am tremendously in favor of unification.
We gotta turn out the best we can [students]. I’m so enthused about this
thing I could go on forever,” commented Mr. McSwain.
Coarsegold Board Members respond to Proposal
Kathy Casey, CUSD board member, spoke about her uneasiness of the plan
and said, “I see the Thomson unification as a negative not a positive.
I love this district [CUSD]. If this unification goes through, my term
is over.”
Greg Schoonard, CUSD board member, was also concerned about the new plan.
His concern came from questions that remained unanswered for him since
he received the plan only one week before. “This is not something we should
take lightly. I don’t rush into things like this. I haven’t had time to
take in this information,” Mr. Schoonard said. “It’s not easy to understand
[the feasibility study]. It makes sense philosophically.” One last interesting
comment by Mr. Schoonard involved the additional funding. “If the bucket’s
[state school budget] empty, where is the $1.1 million coming from?”
After all board members shared their approval or opposition to the new
plan, YJUHSD President Tom Allcock called for a vote by the YJUHSD members.
In a process that took approximately 35 seconds, YJUHSD members unanimously
approved the unification plan. Now it was CUSD board members’ turn to
take a vote. This process took quite a bit longer.
Instead of the CUSD members voting, John Reynolds, CUSD board member president,
asked the CUSD members to discuss their concerns prior to voting. The
discussion among the members took more than an hour to hash out the details.
One of the biggest concerns was the trustee areas for designated board
members.
Mr. Reynolds (CUSD) commented that he would like to see the trustee areas
based on geographic measurements, and Mr. Allcock (YJUHSD) suggested that
the trustee areas be based on the Mountain Area’s population.
This debate went on for quite some time, not only between board members
but audience members joined in as well. Tony Misner, Yosemite High School
ROP instructor, made a statement that the 10 board members were trying
to make the decision for the voters. Mr. Misner requested the board members
allow the community to make the final decision.
Around 9:30 p.m., Mr. McCabe, along with audience members, attempted to
move the CUSD board into voting. With a few last comments, CUSD board
members took a vote on the proposal. All of the CUSD members were in favor
of the new plan except for Kathy Casey. Ms. Casey opposed the plan and
had even asked prior to voting if the board could vote on this issue next
month. This comment brought a surge of moans from the audience.
After all was said and done, the votes were in and the process of unification
had begun.
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