Committee to Consider High School Consolidation and Alternative Scenarios

Introduction

The idea of merging Alameda High School and Encinal High School schools has been raised several times in previous decades. It came up most recently in the spring of 2018, when the Board of Education engaged the community in a review of the district's budget priorities. The goal of the budget reprioritization process was to find ways to save money, so as to increase employee salaries.

During those discussions, community members, athletic directors, and teachers asked for a new review of the idea of consolidating high schools for two reasons. First, they wanted to see if combining schools could provide cost savings that could go towards improving AUSD employee salaries. This would help employees. It would also help retain and attract excellent teachers, which, in turn, is good for students. Second, the requesters wanted to see if a consolidation might allow AUSD to provide a more comprehensive education to AUSD high school students (because one large school may be able to provide more course offerings more equitably to more students).

Committee Formation

In May 2018, the Board directed staff to create a committee to study the issue and provide a report on what a combined high school could look like. After a three-week application period, the Board approved 15 members to the committee and asked that staff re-open the applications to students in August, so as to have more students on the committee. On August 28, the Board approved the appointment of four more students, plus a representative of CSEA 860, to the committee.

Committee Work

In its study of the viability and desirability of a potential merger, the committee received and reviewed information from architects, demographers, transit and city planners, and staff from AUSD's Teaching and Learning Department, Business Services, and Student Services Department. After hearing from these and other experts, the committee prepared a report on what a consolidation would look like, as well as three alternative scenarios for providing more equitable course offerings to AUSD high school students. That report was presented to the Board in February of 2019.

Board of Education Decision

Ultimately, the Board of Education decided against consolidating the schools and asked that the district staff further consider the alternative scenarios developed.

Background Materials

Meeting Dates and Topics

	09/04/2018 - Enrollment Projections How many students does AUSD expect to enroll over the next 10 years? Presenters: Chad Pimentel, General Counsel, AUSD; Greg Davis, Davis Demographics
	09/17/2018 - Site Capacities How many students can AHS and EHS hold? Presenter: Mark Quattrocchi, Quattrocchi Kwok Architects
	10/02/2018 - Teaching and Learning How would combining high schools affect AUSD's high school educational program? Presenters: Steven Fong, Chief Academic Officer, AUSD; Robert Ithurburn, Principal, AHS; Dan Hurst, Principal, EHS
	10/16/2018 - Summary of Data Presented So Far; Brainstorming of Alternative Scenarios Note: This meeting originally was scheduled to focus on Student Support Services. That presentation has now been scheduled for the October 30, 2018. At the end of that meeting, the committee will discuss when the remaining presentations should be scheduled.
	10/30/2018 - Student Support Services How would combining high schools affect special education, mental health, and healthcare services for AUSD's high school students? How might it affect school climate? Presenter: Kirsten Zazo, Chief Student Support Officer
	11/08/2018 - Athletics How would combining high schools affect athletic programs at the two high schools?
	12/04/2018 - Community Impacts How would combining high schools affect transportation for students, as well as parking, driving in the city, the Park Street business area, etc.? What bike routes could students use? What other means could students use to get across town? Presenters: Staff, Bike Walk Alameda
	01/15/2019 - Report Review Facilitator: Brianna Garcia, School Services of California

Meeting Materials

All meetings of the Committee to Consider High School Consolidation were open to the public, and the public was encouraged to attend to hear the presentations, learn about the process, and follow the conversations of the committee.

SEPTEMBER 4, 2018 MEETING
Primary topic: Enrollment projections

SEPTEMBER 13, 2018 (BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING DISCUSSION)
Primary topic: Scope/charge of the committee

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018 MEETING
Primary topic: Facility space at AHS & EHS

OCTOBER 2, 2018 MEETING
Primary topic: Educational programs at AHS & EHS

OCTOBER 16, 2018 MEETING
Primary topics: Summing up data presented so far; brainstorming alternative scenarios

Agenda
Video

OCTOBER 30, 2018
Primary topics: Alternative scenarios, Student Support Services

NOVEMBER 8, 2018
Primary topics: Alternative scenarios, athletic programs

DECEMBER 4, 2018
Primary topics: Alternative scenarios, community impacts

JANUARY 15, 2019
Primary topics: Report review, discussion of next steps

Committee Members

Board Of Education Presentations

April 24, 2018
"Discussion of Long-Term School Facilities Plan and Possible School Consolidation"

May 22, 2018
"Discussion of Long-Term School Facilities Plan and Possible School Consolidation: Timeline of Process"

June 26, 2018
"Approval of Superintendent's Recommendation to Appoint Members to Committee to Consider Consolidation"

August 28, 2018
"Approval of Superintendent's Recommendation to Appoint Student Members to Committee to Consider High School Consolidation"

November 27, 2018
"Update on Committee to Consider High School Consolidation and Alternative Scenarios"

February 12, 2019
"Report from Committee to Consider High School Consolidation and Alternative Scenarios"

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