Hundreds Of Oakland Students Await School Change After 5 Campus Closures
OAKLAND (KCBS)— Parents in Oakland are weighing their options after the school board voted last week to shut down five elementary schools.
School Superintendent Tony Smith, in a letter to parents, acknowledged that closing schools to better allocate resources is a painful process that may not end with the shuttering of Lakeview, Lazear, Marshall, Maxwell Park and Santa Fe Elementary.
Between now and December, the district will try and match families of the roughly 900 relocating students with one of four possible schools, preferably a higher performing one than the student is leaving.
"We're assessing all the open spots at the surrounding schools and looking at what the options available will be," Smith said.
KCBS' Holly Quan Reports:
Staff and parents at two schools that escaped the chopping block, Burkhalter and Kaiser have until August 2013 to boost enrollment or wind up closed as well.
Depending on state budget numbers that come in January, other campuses may be targeted as the district is expected to eliminate 30 schools total.
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