Drummond: Three new PYLUSD initiatives had broad board support

This year, three initiatives hold the promise of significant educational gains for the 23,000 students attending the 34 campuses of the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District.

And, unlike some split decisions by the district’s five elected trustees on major matters, such as a ban on teaching critical race theory and the adoption of a parental notification policy, all three have the unanimous support of the trustees.

One, of course, is the opening on Aug. 27 for approximately 600 seventh- and eighth-grade students of a district-affiliated charter school on the Bernardo Yorba Middle School campus.

The Orange County School of Computer Science is considered a “conversion charter school,” and, as such, will provide more opportunities for students than a privately run charter that would operate with a separate administrative staff and little oversight by a publicly elected board.

The district-approved conversion charter will have full access to district-level support on an existing campus with tested and experienced leaders – Principal Beth Fisher and Assistant Principal Rachael Collins.

And important financial matters, such as payments for expenses, will be overseen by knowledgeable school finance personnel answerable to the district’s publicly elected governing board.

A second initiative relates to hiring teachers with more than six years of experience in other districts. Prior to the adoption of this year’s contract with certificated staff, placement on the teacher salary schedule started at the sixth year, even if the teacher had more experience.

Teachers with more than six years of experience were reluctant to join the Placentia-Yorba Linda district because of a sizable loss of pay. For example, last year, a sixth-year teacher with advanced credits earned $82,625, while a 12th-year teacher earned $103,268.

A third initiative involves paying teachers extra for tutoring students after regular school hours to make up for the substantial learning lost because of campus closures due to the pandemic.

In a statement to district stakeholders, Superintendent Alex Cherniss noted that the district “has a number of students who aren’t achieving at grade level” and “addressing this will be one of my primary goals….”

He said some of one-time funding allocated by state and federal governments “should be used to address the ever-increasing learning gaps exacerbated by the pandemic….”

Already for the 2023-24 school year, teachers have been approved to serve as after-school tutors, with several specializing in math intervention, which has been identified as needing catch-up help. New math curriculum and texts are scheduled for purchase and use in 2026-27.

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All three school board officers for 2024 – President Leandra Blades, Vice President Todd Frazier and Clerk Steve Youngblood – were selected on 3-2 votes, with trustees Marilyn Anderson and Carrie Buck opposed.

Jim Drummond is a longtime Yorba Linda resident. He gives his opinion on local issues weekly. Send e-mail to jimdrummond@hotmail.com.