The majority of Los Altos Hills residents support reopening a public school within city bounds, but it does not appear to be their top priority.
An independent survey, conducted by Godbe Research, shows varying support for options that could lead to reopening a public school in the city. The study found that 72 percent of residents would support the return of a public school.
Given nine issues to rank in order of importance, residents placed improving educationquality first, followed by preserving open space and maintaining public roads. Reopening a public school was ranked fifth, redistricting to open a school was ranked last. Other issues included maintaining paths, expanding sewers, undergrounding and preventing local tax increases.
Residents were asked whether they would support school district consolidation or redistricting to create a public school. Both options would need ballot approval by two-thirds of voters in the affected areas.
Support was divided among three options: district consolidation, creating a K-8 district and creating a K-12 district. With 65 percent of residents in favor of redistricting, a ballot measure would struggle to pass, researchers said. Launching a campaign to educate residents about redistricting would probably increase the chance of approval.
One aspect of redistricting that discourages support from voters is that children would be moved to new schools.
