Increasing Student Enrollment

By Gaylaird W "Christopher" Christopher, AIA

PUSD has one of the highest percentages of students attending private schools in California, and across the United States. We also have one of the highest student drop out rates.

1. PUSD has one of the highest percentages of students attending private schools in California, and across the United States. This fact certainly results from the dramatic drop in attendance as PUSD students matriculate to middle school and high school levels. Creating K-8 neighborhood schools will encourage local residents to keep their students in PUSD, rather than sending them to private schools, charter schools or other learning facilities.

2. Many parents and students in our communities believe that Charter Schools are offering a higher quality educational program than is available from their local/neighborhood school. Through the establishment of dependent Charter Schools, PUSD can offer effective, curriculum-specific educational programs that will encourage parents and students to stay in, or return to, the District.

3. PUSD's high schools are the District's lowest performing facilities, reflected in the lowest attendance at these schools by PUSD resident families. The District must pursue contemporary, dynamic program options at the high school level to multiply learning pathways and boost student achievement. Our high schools can establish constructive small learning communities with specific courses of study, reflective of student interests and real-world career options. A necessary District priority: strengthen Career Educational Technical Programs, establishing effective connections between students and the business community that demonstrate industry standards and ready students to take their place in those industries.

Question 3: Graduation rates in California schools have been inflated through the years by inaccurate record-keeping. Approximately two years ago, the State's Superintendent of Schools instituted a system designed to elicit more accurate information from school districts, concerning their drop-out rates. These statistics do not accurately reflect graduation rates, as they do not account for the students who leave the system at the middle school and high school levels, and those who leave to attend private schools or other educational organizations. PUSD reported in December of last year that their graduation rate was 79.6%. This figure does not, however, reflect those students who leave PUSD before graduation.

Question 4: Public Charter Schools are important partners in contemporary education. Fewer regulatory restrictions enable Charter Schools to enact a more flexible programmatic approach. Charter Schools can more readily adapt to student curriculum needs, with an organizational structure quickly able to address funding difficulties and operational challenges. A Charter School's establishment does not automatically ensure a high-quality education; these organizations experience a variety of difficulties, similar to those facing public schools; capable administration is essential to their success. I emphatically support PUSD working cooperatively with Charter Schools in our District, benefiting from their successes and sharing our resources to improve Charter performance. High-performing Charters boost District-wide student achievement, offering a wider variety of effective learning options to our students. Additionally, I recommend that PUSD explore the dependent Charter School model; this model allows the District to establish their own Charter Schools, providing still more learning pathways for our students.

I look forward to further detailing my positions at the interview session and thank you for inviting my participation.