PSC 2.0:RAMON CORTINES RECOMMENDS DISTRICT EDUCATORS OPERATE MOST CAMPUSES + Recommendation memo

By Connie Llanos, Staff Writer, LA Daily News – from the Contra Costa Times |http://bit.ly/fyWfKV

Posted: 03/10/2011 07:05:33 PM PST/Updated: 03/10/2011 09:37:04 PM PST

10 March 2011 - LAUSD Superintendent Ramon Cortines gave district educators a vote of confidence Thursday as he recommended they operate most of the campuses in this second round of the Public School Choice plan.

The reform effort allows charter operators, nonprofit groups and Los Angeles Unified teachers and principals to compete for the opportunity to run new and underperforming district campuses.

Cortines recommended that teacher-led groups operate 21 small schools, with charters taking over six campuses. He did not issue a recommendation for John Muir Middle School in South Los Angeles, saying its programs need to be dismantled and rebuilt.

Among the charter operators disappointed by Cortines' list was Brian Bauer, executive director of Granada Hills Charter, which had applied to operate a new high school planned for Granada Hills.

"It's inexplicable," Bauer said. "It seems he ignored our track record - academic and financial - and the overwhelming community support we had."

Cortines also chose LAUSD educators to operate four small schools that will be located on the campus of Valley Region High No. 5, which is proposed for San Fernando.

Partnership to Uplift Communities, a charter, had also made a bid for the site.

Last year, the first for the School Choice effort, Cortines was criticized by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other reform advocates for favoring district-led groups over charter operators.

Others in the reform community seemed underwhelmed with this year's recommendations, as well.

"We're pleased that some very well-qualified applicants have been recommended. But we're puzzled and disappointed that some of the district's highest-performing charter operators were not," said Allison Bajracharya, policy director for the California Charter School Association.

In a written report, Cortines, detailed the reasons behind each of his recommendation.

His choices will guide the LAUSD board, which has the final say in the School Choice program. The board is scheduled to make its decisions at its meeting Tuesday.

The board is also supposed to consider the input of parents, school employees and community members who voted last month for their favored proposals.

But the validity of those results has come into question because of allegations of voting irregularities and dismal voter turn-out.

Cortines is expected to propose that the community vote be eliminated during future rounds of School Choice. He is also likely to call for greater collaboration and cooperation among applicants.

Cortines said in his report he would have recommended both groups that applied to run the 1,200 student Granada Hills high school. "But it was clear that this was not a viable option because of the adult behaviors exhibited by both applicant teams throughout the process," he wrote.

For months, Granada Hills Charter held meetings, gathered signatures in a bid to persuade the community to support its bid.

Supporters even foot the bill for some billboards in the neighborhood.

Teachers at neighboring district schools, however, accused the high-performing school of cherry-picking students.

Contention has continued to build among supporters of the charter, and supporters of the district.

Despite the arduous competition though, many local teachers have begun to embrace the process that has been considered so controversial.

"This has been a grueling, challenging process," said Mauricio Regalado, a teacher at Social Justice Humanitas Academy, one of the four teacher groups recommended to run the new San Fernando campus.

"But we're excited for the opportunity to create real change ... Without this process I don't think we'd be here talking about this kind change."

BR 245 - Fall 2011 PSC 2 Applicant Team Recommendations- Final 03-15-11