SAN DIEGO CITY SCHOOLS

Institute for Learning

Instructional Facilities Planning Department

STRATEGIES TO ACCOMMODATE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

FROM MILITARY FAMILY HOUSING AND LIBERTY STATION

April 23, 2002

Background

The former Naval Training Center in Point Loma is being redeveloped. The new development includes 500 units of military family housing, and a mixed-use neighborhood recently named Liberty Station that includes 350 units of for-sale, market-rate housing composed of condominiums, rowhomes, and detached, single-family homes. District staff has been working extensively with the military, city staff, and the developers relative to student generation forecasts and potential school assignment. The city and military have reserved a 7-acre site within the military family housing neighborhood for development of an elementary school. The superintendent has been directed by the board to bring forward a report on district planning relative to this parcel. Until the future use of this parcel is resolved, staff is recommending that the forecasted elementary student population from the new housing be served in existing Point Loma area elementary schools.

According to the most recent data provided by the developers of the military family housing and the Liberty Station housing, families and students will begin moving into the area during the 2002-2003 school year. District staff has developed an attendance boundary proposal for assigning the new housing areas to Point Loma area elementary schools in closest proximity to them. That proposal and its recommended execution are outlined below.

Student Forecast, Boundary Proposal, and Implementation

The district is forecasting approximately 400 elementary (K-4) students will live in the two housing areas at build-out and full occupancy. Approximately 320 students are forecasted for the military family housing neighborhood, and 80 students for the housing in Liberty Station. At present about 140 military family housing students are forecasted to move into the area during the 2002-2003 school year, with the remaining 180 students arriving during the 2003 summer break and the 2003-2004 school year. Students are forecasted to begin moving into the Liberty Station housing late in the 2002-2003 school year. The timing of their arrival will be dependent on the housing market, but currently the developer expects final sales and occupancy in late 2004.

District staff has developed a recommendation to assign the military family housing and Liberty Station housing area to the three nearest elementary schools in Point Loma; Cabrillo, Dewey, and Loma Portal. The specific boundaries and neighborhood school assignments are outlined on the attached maps. The recommendation was shared with the Point Loma Coordinating Council at

Strategies to Accommodate Elementary Students

From Military Family Housing and Liberty Station

their January 28, 2002 meeting and has also been communicated to The McMillan Companies, the developer of the Liberty Station housing.

The table below outlines the forecasted student allocation by school, the schools’ facilities status for the upcoming school year and recommended strategies to accommodate the additional enrollment from the military family housing and Liberty Station.

School / Estimated Enrollment and Classroom Need From New Housing / Facilities Status: 2002-2003 School Year Forecast / Implementation Strategies for New Students
Cabrillo / 87 students (4-5 classrooms) / 5 ‘spare’ classrooms (15 regular education classrooms, 10 teachers) / New library will vacate one additional classroom beginning 2003-04.
Dewey / 233 students (11-12 classrooms) / 4 ‘spare’ classrooms (18 regular education classrooms, 14 teachers) / Restrict non-resident enrollment to create 2-3 classrooms. (a) Add portable classrooms as needed (2-4).
Loma Portal / 80 students (4 classrooms) / 2-3 ‘spare’ classrooms (19 regular education classrooms, 16-17 teachers) / New library will vacate one additional classroom during 2002-03. (Will require upgrading of library portable for air conditioning.) Restrict non-resident enrollment by approx. 20 students. (b)

Notes:

(a) Dewey enrolls approximately 100 non-resident students not related to special ed. (15 interdistrict

permits, 56 on child care affidavits, and 29 through school Choice).

(b) Loma Portal enrolls six students on interdistrict permits, 15 on child care affidavits, and 67

through school Choice.

As can be seen from the above table and footnotes, at both Cabrillo and Loma Portal it will be possible to accommodate the students from the new housing areas without the addition of portable classrooms and associated further impacts to their small land bases. At Dewey, the addition of some portable classrooms will be necessary. The extent of the addition will be dependent on decisions made relative to restriction of non-resident enrollment.

Strategies to Accommodate Elementary Students

From Military Family Housing and Liberty Station

Timeline and School Assignment of New Students

Based on the latest information from the developers relative to construction and occupancy of housing, the table below outlines the forecasted timeline for cumulative new student arrival by school assignment. Final occupancy of housing is expected during the first semester of the 2004-2005 school year.

School

/ Number of Forecasted New Students by Semester
First Semester 2002-2003 School Year / Second Semester 2002-2003 School Year / First Semester 2003-2004 School Year / Second Semester 2003-2004 School Year / First Semester 2004-2005 School Year
Cabrillo / __ / 5 students total / 62 students total / 87 students total / 87 students total
Dewey / __ / 53 students total / 160 students total / 194 students total / 233 students total
Loma Portal / 30 students total / 80 students total / 80 students total / 80 students total / 80 students total

It can be seen from the above table that significant mid-year enrollment increases are forecasted for Dewey and Loma Portal in the 2002-2003 school year and for Cabrillo and Dewey in the 2003-2004 school year, based on the projected occupancy schedules for new housing. Approval has been given to provide initial fall staffing in 2002 at Dewey and Loma Portal to accommodate the forecasted mid-year enrollment changes, to minimize reorganization of classes during the school year.

Facilities Implications and Action Plan for 2002-2003 School Year

·  Cabrillo: The school’s 2002-2003 enrollment forecast reflects the small number of students expected during the school year. The site has sufficient space to accommodate its anticipated allocation of students from the new housing, with no further adjustments.

·  Dewey: The Instructional Facilities Planning Department has received approval to staff the school at the beginning of the 2002-2003 school year to reflect the anticipated enrollment increase beginning later in the year. The site will receive two additional teachers to reflect this enrollment increase. The site has sufficient facilities to accommodate the anticipated enrollment increase during 2002-2003. During 2002-2003, the Instructional Facilities Planning Department staff will work with the Dewey site and community to develop a strategy combining additional facilities and restriction of non-resident enrollment to accommodate the additional students anticipated for the 2003-2004 school year.

Strategies to Accommodate Elementary Students

From Military Family Housing and Liberty Station

·  Loma Portal: The Instructional Facilities Planning Department has received approval to staff the school at the beginning of the 2002-2003 school year, to reflect the anticipated enrollment increase beginning later in the year. The site will receive two additional teachers to reflect this enrollment increase. The cost to retrofit the current library portable to accommodate a classroom (including installation of air conditioning) is included in the Instructional Facilities Planning Department’s annual facilities report. This work will be completed after the library moves into its new facility in June 2002.

The Loma Portal principal has agreed to reduce the school’s non-resident enrollment by approximately 20 students for 2002-2003, in order to ensure that the enrollment increase anticipated in the second semester of 2002-2003 can be accommodated in the existing classroom facilities (including the new classroom in the current library portable). VEEP enrollment will not be reduced. The enrollment reduction will be accomplished by restricting the following three categories: interdistrict permits (6 enrolled for 2001-2002), child care affidavits (15 enrolled for 2001-2002), and limiting new Choice students, particularly for next year’s kindergarten class (13 Choice kindergarten students enrolled for 2001-2002).

Future Action on NTC Parcel Identified in the City/Navy Memorandum of Understanding

At the April 9, 2002 board meeting the board and superintendent discussed the issue of future district use of the 7-acre NTC parcel identified for elementary education facilities by the City/Navy Memorandum of Understanding, within the context of the staff recommendation to house the new NTC redevelopment area students in existing area elementary schools.

Recognizing the importance of retaining district control of the NTC parcel, the superintendent directed staff to prepare a report addressing the issue of district development of the 7-acre NTC parcel. This report is to include potential long-term educational uses, given the educational facilities needs identified for the Point Loma area.

Recommendation

The superintendent recommends that the boundaries described in the attached maps be adopted for the 2002-2003 school year.

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