Ballooning BCS out-of-district enrollment hurts LASD children, teachers and taxpayers
I attended a recent LASD board meeting and was startled to learn that out-of-district enrollment at Bullis Charter School (BCS) has nearly doubled from 96 to 173 students. Now roughly 17% of enrollment. BCS’s enrollment no longer reflects the choices of parents living within LASD, but BCS’s choice to maintain its size by importing out-of-district children who live as far as Fremont, Morgan Hill and Santa Cruz.
For years, students at Egan and Blach have given up space to share facilities with BCS. When BCS served students living within LASD, that arrangement, while not ideal, felt appropriate. That is no longer the case. Today, LASD students and teachers are being directly harmed so that an increasing number of out-of-district students can attend BCS.
The impact is not just about space. Enrolling out-of-district BCS students imposes a significant financial burden on LASD; approximately $10,500 in unreimbursed costs per student per year, or $1.8 million annually. These funds are diverted away from LASD classrooms and place additional pressure on teacher salaries and district resources. Instead of shortchanging our students and teachers, we should eliminate this unnecessary and avoidable cost.
When out-of-district enrollment exceeds 8%, LASD has the option to void the current facilities agreement. As BCS has willfully and dramatically exceeded this level, LASD should amend the current facilities agreement and require BCS to fully compensate the district for the cost of educating out-of-district students.
Looking ahead, any future agreement with BCS must fully reimburse LASD for all building, land and operating costs associated with out-of-district enrollment. Anything less shifts the financial burden onto LASD children, teachers and taxpayers. That is simply unfair.
Sangeeth Peruri
Former President, Los Altos School Board of Trustees
Perplexing park process
I do not consider myself stupid or dense. I have usually been able to read an opposing viewpoint and at least see where they are coming from and why they believe what they do, even if I disagree. But in regards to turning the parking area behind Main Street into a park, removing beautiful trees so many of us love, and adding a parking structure, I truly just don’t get it. I understand representative government, but the current City Council does not appear to be representing the wishes of the residents of Los Altos. And I have to ask myself, why? Not one single letter to the Town Crier supports this project. Now maybe there are a lot of people who do but who are afraid to write a letter in support of this project. So what I also don’t understand is why the City Council is pushing this hard for this project? And why don’t they just put it on hold, allow a ballot measure the next time there are other ballot measures (not a special election), and find out what the residents of Los Altos want? The entire issue is perplexing to me as the logical path forward seems simple and fair and representative of what the community wants. I must be missing something, but I don’t know what it is.
Christine Hoberg
Los Altos
Please preserve parking
Please do not take away our parking lots. If you do, you will kill our downtown village and the businesses that depend on parking availability. Today we went to lunch and were able to find a parking space. If I cannot, we will not be able to go to lunch downtown.
Cathy Kordsmeier
Los Altos
