Just a month after the Los Angeles Unified School District offered space on its campuses for nearly 40 charter schools, district officials have withdrawn seven of the offers and are considering yanking five more. The withdrawals come amid a growing outcry by the teachers union as well as charter schools and traditional schools unhappy with the prospect of sharing dozens of campuses. Senior Deputy Superintendent Ray Cortines says he has decided to withdraw the offers based on the "instructional impacts the charter co-location would impose." The move drew immediate outrage from charter leaders.
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EARLIER: Seeking to calm a backlash at traditional Los Angeles schools, a top district official promised this week to reconsider offers of classroom space on those campuses to charter schools. The idea of privately operated charter schools sharing space with regular schools was met with fury at many affected campuses, including Taft High in Woodland Hills and Crenshaw High in South Los Angeles. Teachers and parents have complained that their own reforms and programs would be harmed. Under state law as well as a recent settlement of litigation, the Los Angeles Unified School District must share facilities "fairly" with charter school.
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About 40 Los Angeles schools learned last week that classrooms on their campuses have been offered to charter schools. A little-noticed provision in a state ballot measure eight years ago requires district facilities to be shared. Charter operators say the law is clear but contend that, until this year, the district has never tried to meet its obligation. Only about half a dozen of 129 charters operating within district boundaries are housed in district buildings Charter advocates sued and reached a settlement in February.
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FROM FEBRUARY: More Los Angeles campuses will have to make room for charter schools, even if some teachers are forced to give up their classrooms and become roving instructors, under a litigation settlement approved by the Los Angeles school board. The agreement requires the school district to inventory all properties and work directly with charter schools to find space on or off campus. Charter advocates say finding and paying for facilities is their No. 1 challenge. (Los Angeles Times)
