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Class sizes shrink in Oxnard
11 county schools share grant funds to lower numbers
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Photos by Jason Redmond / Star staff Frank Intermediate School Principal Robin Poe helps seventh-grader Alejandro Burciaga find his next class during the first day of school in Oxnard on Wednesday. Seven Oxnard schools are getting funds for smaller classes.
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Students at some Oxnard schools got a little extra breathing room when they returned to their classrooms Wednesday after summer break.
Thanks to a special state grant, seven campuses in the Oxnard School District began shrinking class sizes this school year, dropping from 40 to 25 students in some cases.
"I really feel a difference," said Karen Sher, a seventh-grade English teacher at Frank Intermediate School. She had as many as 39 seventh-graders in one of her English classes last school year.
On Wednesday, none of her classes topped 30. "I think smaller classes are the best way to ensure improvement," she said.
That's the goal of the multiyear state grants coming from the Quality Education Investment Act of 2006. Stemming from the settlement of a lawsuit, the act provides nearly $3 billion for some of the state's lowest-performing schools. State schools Superintendent Jack O'Connell and the California Teachers Association had sued Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the California Department of Finance for failing to fully fund Proposition 98 in the 2004-05 and 2005-06 school years.
State officials chose 488 schools to receive the grants, based on a competitive application process. Eleven in Ventura County are participating, including some in the Oxnard, Hueneme and Santa Paula districts.
Schools receive $500 per student annually in kindergarten through third-grade classrooms, $900 per child annually in grades four through eight, and $1,000 a year for each high school student. The money is expected to be used to reduce class sizes, provide training for school staff and increase the number of high school counselors.
While most students returned to Oxnard schools Wednesday, the district of about 15,000 kindergartners through eighth-graders has multiple tracks, with kids attending classes and taking vacations at different times throughout the year. Officials reported a smooth opening Wednesday.
At Frank School, Principal Robin Poe said enrollment likely will be a little higher than last year, a trend seen in the entire district. Frank had about 1,200 kids Wednesday.
To start lowering class sizes, the school created four new full-time teaching positions and one part-time job.
Walking through classrooms, Poe counted several with 25 or 26 students. In three years, Poe said, the school expects to have all core classes down to 25 students.
Other Oxnard schools have begun similar efforts, adding teachers and literacy and math coaches this year.
It will allow teachers to focus more on students' individual needs, said Amber Whitney, an academic counselor at Frank. "Teachers will be able to be more involved with their students," she said.
Posted by ebrockway on August 21, 2008 at 6:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Class sizes were shrinking in Camarillo too, so they closed schools!
Posted by heregoes on August 21, 2008 at 7:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Class sizes weren't shrinking in Camarillo - total enrollment was shrinking.
It makes sense that Oxnard would have increasing enrollment as housing is cheaper there and families can afford to move there. You also have multiple families to a home at times.
Whereas, Camarillo (and Conejo Valley who also had to close schools) would attract an older population with less or no children.
Posted by Whodathunkit on August 21, 2008 at 8:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hmmm...unfortunately for Buena High School the 45 head count for my son's trig class this week does not apply to this article.
Posted by svwl on August 21, 2008 at 8:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It's funny that people on this page talk about school closings. And on the page discussing tax increases people complain about a one penny increase in sales taxes. Yet nobody makes the connection that schools will continue to close if we don't increase taxes. You can't have it both ways.
Posted by Brownpride on August 21, 2008 at 9:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
That makes no sense at all? The illegals are making so many babies at the moment that the schools should be flooded? 852 more babies were just born in Oxnard in the time it took me to write this.
Posted by svwl on August 21, 2008 at 9:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree with juniormafia. Historically, lower-middle and lower class families have more children than middle, upper-middle, and upper class families. More lower and lower-middle class families live in Oxnard than in Camarillo because Oxnard is slightly less expensive.
Posted by Brownpride on August 21, 2008 at 10:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I am referring to the story.... Illegals have a billion kids. There is no debate its a fact.
Posted by lilmamma on August 21, 2008 at 10:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
In Oxnard when they build new housing they also have to build a new school.Ventura hasn't had a new high school or elementary school in years.Camarillo just needs new board members who have common sense and children in their district.Blacks and whites have a lot of children too we just hide them better!
Posted by BeaHappi on August 21, 2008 at 10:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
lilmamma...right on! You are absolutely correct with your concise assessment of Oxnard, Ventura, and Camarillo.
And loved the "hide them better" comment...ha ha!
BTW, I have two kids and they don't go to public school in Oxnard, so this doesn't impact us at all. I am glad for the teachers and students that the class sizes are smaller. Absolutely a good thing!
Posted by missmary on August 21, 2008 at 10:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I was born and raised in Oxnard, have 2 children who are attending Oxnard schools and have been "outed" because of the overcrowding. Our home (Flower Track) is 1 mile from Pacifica and 1.5 miles from Oxnard but my children are being "bussed" to Rio Mesa - 4 miles away, make sense to anyone? I'm not dissing Rio Mesa - it's a good school, I AM DISAPPOINTED with the Oxnard Schoold District - both elementary and high school for not monitoring their boundaries more. Friends of my kids live way outside of the Oxnard High boundary (actually in Rio and Pacifica boundaries) and are using relative's addresses, and "district employee allowances" and got their children into Oxnard High. Had the district been monitoring the area growth properly they could have forseen the need for more teachers and facilities and had requested the funds in advance; we just passed a baby boom if anyone didn't notice - someone forsaw the need to build more houses on our lands!!! So if overcrowding is an issue or we finally got $$ to spend on buildings instead of education - it's on the shoulders of the Districts which are responsible.
Finally, my children with "earn" everything they get, they have respect for others; they will not be placed in a school where their parents feel they are better off. Respectfully, Miss Mary.
Posted by BeaHappi on August 21, 2008 at 11:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
missmary...I understand your frustration. It seems silly that since you live closer to two other district high schools that they would bus your kids to Rio Mesa. If nothing else, given fuel costs it would make sense to have kids go to schools they can walk to.
Posted by missmary on August 21, 2008 at 11:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
True, another point to discuss with the districts - the cost of fuel to move these children when an "obese" society needs to excercise more. Thanks for the input. MM ")
Posted by wdwinder on August 21, 2008 at 12:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Arnold should just reinstate the VLF charges to what they were before he kept his one campaign promise. Or rather the one of many that he made but didn't keep.
Posted by daugtherofimmigrant on August 21, 2008 at 12:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
lilmamma - LOL!! That's too funny, I started attending a different church (I used to go to an all Spanish Church). When I started attending the bilingual church I had never seen so many white folk with so many kids.
SO MANY = more than 4 under the age of 4 and pregnant.
I recognize a lot of the parents now when I am out at the grocery store or in town somewhere, I see the mom, with the oldest kid but never with all their kids, always assumed they had no more than two, little did I know.:O)
A few families have like 9 kids. It's crazy! Well not really crazy.
Cool though I personally like big families.
As far as Santa Paula Schools - ah no my daughter just started school and she said she has no less than 35 class mates in each class.
Posted by guerodrex on August 21, 2008 at 12:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
SVWL-There are many programs we can cut besides education to save money. California is already one of the 5 most taxes states in the nation. Taxation is not the problem, poor spending choices is.
Posted by missmary on August 21, 2008 at 1 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks for finally recognizing where the accountability should lie. It isn't race, class, ethnicity, origin, religion, etc. etc. that is to blame here, we are all victims in hind sight and we came out ok. We just now have our opinions and statements and we can use these resources and tools to encourage and educate our children, to make it a better world for their children. Do you agree? I see that with some teachers now, they actually are returning to the high school they attended to be there and help our future generations better than each generation before. God Bless all the Little Children of the World. Peace. Miss Mary
Posted by filipaisa on August 21, 2008 at 1:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
JM sooo how many kids for a family is too many?? Althought Oxnard Population Is Growing, with all the homes that are being built i do think there is a need for another J.R HIGH SCHOOL i dont think one has been built for awhile now.i encourage any and all parents to get into the school system talk to teachers administravie staff..get yourself on the PTA and if you school has one of these also get on your childs school site councile and MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR YOUR CHILDREN...Dont just come on here to post how bad your district has it and complain about your kids friends couse they want to go to antoher school out of the " SCHOOL BORDER LINES"
Posted by missmary on August 21, 2008 at 1:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
No such thing as too many kids. . there is such a thing as absenance. Oh, and about the Jr. High shcools being built, you're too late - per the article - class sizes are being reduced due to the $$ being spent to build the trailers and upgrade the schools for all the kids entering in high school. The baby boom is over for now, give it 5+ years and it will start over again. Also, not complaining - making a TRUE statement. Not sorry for your indiference. MM
Posted by heregoes on August 21, 2008 at 2:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Where did this State grant magically appear from? I thought ALL of our schools were in a budget crisis. If this grant comes from our tax dollars, wouldn't it be more fair to equally divide this money to all the schools in California. I would like to know where the funding for this grant came from - anyone?
Wow, now even more of my tax dollars are going to fund smaller classroom sizes for the Oxnard school district while my child will be attending a Camarillo school with about 35 children in his class this year.
Posted by BeaHappi on August 21, 2008 at 2:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
sawyerfamily - per the article:
"That's the goal of the multiyear state grants coming from the Quality Education Investment Act of 2006. Stemming from the settlement of a lawsuit, the act provides nearly $3 billion for some of the state's lowest-performing schools."
488 schools statewide are receiving funds from this grant; 7 of them are in Oxnard. That's less than 1.5% of the total. Schools in Hueneme and Santa Paula are also receiving grant money.
Since this grant was designated for lower performing schools, I'd say that you are lucky that none of the Camarillo schools were on the receiving end.
Posted by filipaisa on August 21, 2008 at 3:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
well as thee report is stating only FRANK school theres other JR high Schools in the district that are very much crowded...blackstock haydock freemont! What We Truly Need are TEACHERS Who Have Meet All The Criteria Needed I Have Seen Many Come And Go Due To The Fact They DOnt Get Paid Enough! Take Rio School District For Instance they Are Way under staffed at RIO ROSALES...AND ITs A BRAND NEW SCHOOL!!!!
Posted by BeaHappi on August 21, 2008 at 3:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Schools weren't selected because of how crowded they were. Underperforming schools were selected.
Posted by Hueneme1961 on August 21, 2008 at 6:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
missmary
Oxnard and Pacifica are over crowed cause most the hueneme kids that can find ways to go to those schools. They should make all the kids go to the schools that is in there neighborhood.But everyone has to move around.
Posted by lrgvanman on August 21, 2008 at 8:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Really! What, honestly, is the point in procreating at the rate people are at present times? There are no famines or diseases to require the need to mass produce. I just don't understand.
Posted by ironwoman on August 21, 2008 at 8:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is what should alarm people the most!!
"Schools receive $500 per student annually in kindergarten through third-grade classrooms, $900 per child annually in grades four through eight, and $1,000 a year for each high school student."
The PRISON HOSPITAL Proposal------------
Inmates will be worth over $600,000.00 per year per inmate!!!
Is there something wrong with this picture?
Posted by missmary on August 22, 2008 at 10:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Although my tax dollars are "distributed" throughout California - without my knowledge where it will really go (Thanks Arnold - I.D.I.O.T.) I personally introduce myself to my kids' teachers and ask that they let me know what I can contribute. In the past I have purchased paper, art materials, and my time in an effort to help. We all can pitch in - notebooks from Target at 50 cents each X 30 kids = $15.00 - every little bit helps.
Also, I agree with Ironwoman - there is something wrong with the picture, just like illegle immagrants - what part of illegle or felon doesn't the State not understand? Anyone???? MM ")
Posted by beyondoxnard on August 23, 2008 at 12:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I disagree with blaming illegal immigrants, that's just witnessing in the context of Oxnard. When you take it into a global perspective, it is the U.S. agriculture management that drives illegal immigration. Because farmers get government subsidies, they are able to sell and export their corn to Mexico at a cheaper price. This lowers the profits of small farmers in Mexico who resort to illegally immigrate to the United States so they can freaking eat. Although it has become a trend where better off city dwellers immigrate for a temporary time, the people that stay the longest and bring their family are the farmers. Why do you think most of the people are from places such as Michoacan and oaxaca? Because they are rural areas. If they U.S. would let the global market dictate the price of their products, then they would not have the advantage they have.
but is my comment going to deaf ears?
its not as easy as
illegal=taking my tax money=criminal
NO
there are other factors that drive that
expand your understanding beyond the simple form!
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