Dublin charter school organizers get cold reception at county education board meeting
HAYWARD — Organizers of a planned charter high school in Dublin on Tuesday got a cold reception from the Alameda County board of education. Board members will decide June 22 if the school should be allowed to open. The school plans were rejected earlier by the Dublin school board, and the county is deciding on the organizers appeal of that ruling.
a public hearing was heard on appeal by the county.
County office staff members are analyzing the organizers’ petition to make a recommendation. If denied by the county, it can be appealed to the state Department of Education.
During Tuesday’s meeting, county board member Ken Berrick asked if the lack of supporters attending was either a lack of support from the community, or because organizers believed they would just be going to the state for approval.
“I would lean toward the latter, to be perfectly frank,” said Bill Batchelor, chief operating officer of the Tri-Valley Learning Corporation. Batchelor said more than 100 potential students are interested, which he said shows high interest considering the school isn’t planned to open until fall 2012. He said it has been hard to get supporters to attend meetings because of the strong organized opposition.
Tuesday’s discussion started off badly for charter organizers, with trustee Marion McWilson asserting the school would take away resources from the Dublin school district.
Trustee Jacki Fox Ruby said teachers at the proposed school would not get due process because there would be no union. Trustee Yvonne Cerrato doubted the school would have ethnic and socioeconomic demographics reflective of the Dublin community.
Opponents showed up in force to Tuesday’s public hearing, with students, parents and several top district Dublin school district administrators attending. About a dozen wore red T-shirts showing their support for existing Dublin High. “This charter school is not needed. It is not wanted, and it has been unnecessarily divisive to our community,” said Dublin schools Superintendent Stephen Hanke. Hanke made a presentation to county trustees with Dublin school board President David Haubert and Dublin High Principal Carol Shimizu.
The charter school would have a maximum 864 students. Supporters say the city should have an alternative to Dublin High, the city’s only comprehensive high school. Initially, the school would operate in an existing district facility, but organizers hope to eventually secure a permanent location in east Dublin. The existing high school is on the west side.
Opponents fear a charter school would drain state enrollment funding from the district. Charter schools are public and receive money from the state based on enrollment, just as district schools do. They say a healthy number of students are needed at Dublin High to maintain quality programs, and they worry two high schools would split the student population. They have also noted Dublin High’s improvements, such as rising standardized test scores and major renovations.
