By Khalida Sarwari
New school initiatives, district finances and API scores were recurring topics at this year’s state of the Campbell Union School District address.
Dozens gathered at the Orchard City Banquet Hall on Oct. 11 to listen to district superintendent Eric Andrew and members of the governing board update the community on student achievement, new projects and the district’s budget.
The district officials addressed the good as well as the bad and answered some tough questions in between. Among the district’s achievements are decreased class sizes, a thriving transitional kindergarten program, dual language immersion and musical theater productions.
“The thing that makes Campbell unique is we have many more options in the school district than people think,” said Andrew.
There were some surprising facts, too, such as the ethnic and economic background of the student population. While perceived as a predominantly white, English-speaking district, the reality is that about 36 percent of students are English language learners and that overall there are 38 different languages spoken among the estimated 7,683 students in the district, according to Andrew.
“We’re a lot more diverse than people know,” he said.
Also surprising to some was that an estimated 45 percent of students are in the free or reduced lunch program.
Juliet Tiffany-Morales, a member of the governing board who is up for re-election this fall, provided an overview of the three different student achievement scores: STAR; AYP, or annual yearly performance; and API, which stands for academic performance index and is a state measurement of student achievement.
The district’s API score has risen over the years from 748 in 2003, when the API was established, to 839 this year, she said.
Board member Danielle Cohen gave an update on the school district’s budget after explaining how the district receives its funding. She explained that in 2010, a $150 million bond measure approved by voters helped pay for high priority repairs, including leaky roofs, drainage, electrical, heating and cooling systems, and also helped fund modernization projects at the Rolling Hills and Blackford campuses.
Additional improvements are under way at Castlemont, Lynhaven and Sherman Oaks elementary schools, which will see the addition of new multi-use rooms this upcoming year.
“These improvements will allow us to house our growing student population and again improve our energy efficiency,” Cohen said.
Measure G dollars are also being allocated to a central kitchen facility that will be built in the district’s maintenance yard in a move that is both fiscally and nutritionally beneficial, said Cohen.
“Cooking and preparing all our food offerings will mean our students will have even more healthy options available, and will reduce our reliance on prepackaged, processed foods,” Cohen said.
Cohen gave an overview also of the two ballot initiatives that will affect funding for schools–Propositions 30 and 38.
The first measure, put on the ballot as part of Gov. Jerry Brown’s budget package, would increase the income tax rate on higher-end earners and stay in effect for seven years. It also includes a 0.25 percent sales tax increase that would affect all Californians for four years.
The second initiative would increase the income tax rate for most earners, with the amount of the increase varying based on income level. The tax rates would stay in effect for 12 years, and unlike the governor’s initiative, money raised would go directly to the programs identified in the initiative including K-12 schools, early care and education programs.
In the event that both propositions fail, Cohen said, the impact on school districts would be significant, resulting in immediate cuts in state funding leading to budget cuts, furloughs, reduced school days and workforce reductions.
Andrew closed the program on a positive note by asking parents and members of the community to get involved in any way they can to help the district excel.
“The best thing about Campbell is that we believe in continuous improvement and continuous learning,” he said.
School initiatives, finances, API topics of state of district report
