New East San Jose superintendent to deal with school closures

Finally, a school district is willing to admit the truth—students are fleeing government schools.

“A struggling East San Jose school district plans to close multiple campuses as it brings on a new superintendent to help guide officials through the difficult process. 

Due to a projected $20.8 million budget shortfall, along with declining enrollment, Alum Rock Union School District will have to close up to nine of its 21 schools.”

You read that right—almost half the schools are not needed.  Close them down, sell the land to private developers for housing.  Then instead of burning tax dollars, these properties will create jobs and property tax revenue.  That is a win/win.

New East San Jose superintendent to deal with school closures

by Lorraine Gabbert, San Jose Spotlight,  9/13/24  https://sanjosespotlight.com/new-east-san-jose-alum-rock-union-school-district-superintendent-to-deal-with-campus-closures-arusd/?utm_campaign=Daily%20Spotlight%20-%20Newsletter&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz–AZKx8lgyEKlIDh5C-Y6loBob3MtVqLiKYCIUqDzsFS2-zNBRnYTDqgcQBr98zIhgAn4Q8iZtuP0rfrfBsSEP0zuz_fr55i45P2OOaPNOBXODOAqA&_hsmi=324616962&utm_content=324616962&utm_source=hs_email

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A struggling East San Jose school district plans to close multiple campuses as it brings on a new superintendent to help guide officials through the difficult process. 

Due to a projected $20.8 million budget shortfall, along with declining enrollment, Alum Rock Union School District will have to close up to nine of its 21 schools. Interim Superintendent Emmanuel “Manny” Barbara is facilitating committee meetings that will begin on Wednesday to determine which schools to close and consolidate. The committee will present its recommendation to the board of trustees by Oct. 30, and officials will make a decision by Dec. 5, Barbara said. The school closures and consolidation will go into effect for the 2025-26 academic year.

“We basically have enough money to last this year and then next year, and then we’re done. We’re bankrupt,” Barbara told San José Spotlight. “We have to start looking at the criteria and what schools we can consolidate with the least amount of transitional upset.”

Budget and demographic information regarding these decisions will be shared at the Sept. 26 board meeting. 

The district has been assigned a state advisor and the Fiscal Crisis Management Assistance Team has been on site, Barbara said. The team, assigned by the Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools, provides recommendations for corrective action. The district must report to the county in October how it’s going to balance the budget.

“This is urgent,” Barbara said. “It’s the most difficult process any district can go through. No one wants their schools closed. But we’re up against a wall right now and there’s not much choice. Enrollment is going down.”

Barbara said closing schools has to be done with compassion and as it’s emotional for staff, parents and students.

“People will at least feel heard,” he said. “They might not like the fact that their school’s being impacted, but at least they’ll understand we’ve done everything we can.”

At Thursday’s ARUSD board meeting, trustees had another responsibility. The board unanimously voted to appoint German Cerda to fill the role of superintendent. Following the abrupt firing of Superintendent Hilaria Bauer in March, Imee Almazan and Barbara stepped in as interim superintendents while the district sought a permanent replacement.

At the meeting, Cerda said the district’s strength lies in its ability to unite as a community for the success and well-being of its students. He said balancing the budget and closing schools will be challenging, but he’s gone through it before.

“There’s going to be a lot of emotions involved. There’s going to be a lot of reaching out… and getting feedback,” Cerda told San José Spotlight. “There’s a budget crisis. We know we have to consolidate and close schools. Let’s get through that and maximize our resources… so we can move forward and put those dollars into the classroom. I’m fully committed to this district. Together we will achieve great things.”

Barbara said the key is for the district to reimagine itself and focus on student achievement.

“We can concentrate our resources on a smaller group of schools that will support the students in this district,” he said. “We’re going to be able to concentrate some resources that right now we cannot provide for them to the level we would like, because we don’t have additional funds to do so.”

Alum Rock Educators Association President Sandra Rivera said throughout the school closing process, it’s crucial teachers and the community are heard and receive clear, consistent messaging.

Cerda will bring experience to the job, including working for more than seven years as assistant superintendent of educational services for Campbell Union High School District and about 20 years with Los Angeles Unified School District. At CUHSD, Cerda was responsible for curriculum and instruction, student services, special education and instructional technology. His contract is from Sept. 30, 2024 to June 30, 2027 with a base salary of $275,000.

“He comes from… a socioeconomic status district similar to ours, so he knows all the challenges,” ARUSD Board President Linda Chavez said.Trustee Andrea Flores Shelton is happy to have someone local leading the district, especially during these challenging times, who understands the Santa Clara County educational system. Trustee Minh Pham said additional resources are crucial for educating students well.

“Alum Rock is looking for a superintendent who is both an instructional leader, a partner in our community, and someone with a long-range view of the potential of our schools,” Pham told San José Spotlight. “My hope is to have a chief educator that can work with the board to steer us through school consolidation and then to help reposition Alum Rock schools for future growth opportunities.”

The next meeting to discuss the school closures is Sept. 26 at the Alum Rock Union School District located at 2930 Gay Ave., San Jose.