Responding to a decision to close the venerable Sacramento High School, teachers have submitted a formal proposal to create a conversion public charter school at the site within the existing school district.
At the same time, CTA's legal counsel has written to the Sacramento City Unified School District's Board of Education to protest its decision in January to close the school and allow it to be reopened as an independent charter outside of the district's operation. The letter reminds the board that state law requires any charter that is established at an existing school to have a petition signed by 50 percent or more of the permanent teachers in support of the action.
"Although we are still saddened by the board's short-sighted decision to close the school, we've developed an exciting proposal for a charter school that will be student-centered and community-based," says Tom Rogers, president of the Sacramento City Teachers Association (SCTA). "Those involved in the school know that there are too many good programs and dedicated staff to just give up. We think we can bring new energy to Sac High by creating a charter school that parents, teachers, students and the community can support."
"We hope the board will take the time to seriously consider our proposal," says Lori Easterling, executive director of SCTA. "If the board proceeds to establish a charter school that does not have the required petition signed by 50 percent or more of the faculty, we will seek an injunction to stop the process."
Seventy-one of the 106 faculty members at the school have already signed the teacher-supported charter petition, and more are expected to do so. Unlike the independent charter plan submitted by the faith-based St. Hope Corporation, the conversion of the school to a dependent charter maintains the experienced Sac City High faculty and keeps the school under the district's operation.
"As teachers, we are dedicated to our students and truly believe that we need to put them first. None of us believe that the proposal for an independent charter is in the best interest of our students," says Bob Laskey, a veteran English teacher at the school.
Under the teacher-led proposal, parents, students and teachers will work together to determine educational goals and objectives and create a high school program and curriculum that is both consistent with and goes beyond California State Content Standards and Curriculum Frameworks for all subject areas. They intend to utilize the district's "e-21" plan, initially developed by the high school, which calls for small learning communities, flexible scheduling, common planning time and extended learning opportunities for students.
The school would be governed by a board of 21 directors - eight parents, two students, eight teachers, one classified employee, one district official and one community member.
The objective of the charter school would be to help students become lifelong learners with a well-developed set of interests and a desire to master academic skills to the best of their abilities. The school would provide students an opportunity to pursue a high-quality education, to excel in areas of special interests, to take alternative routes to achieve competency in basic skills, and to create a bridge between the school and the community.
"Sacramento High has struggled over the past few years," says Rogers. "There have been many different reforms that have been implemented but not carried out due to funding problems or lack of will by the district. We have a real opportunity here to build on the programs that we know will put Sac High back on course."
Dale Martin
