District weighs options of school closings as enrollment, state funding slip

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second in a series of three stories about how financial constraints, expectations for raising test scores and declining enrollment are affecting learning in Corvallis middle schools.

By REBECCA BARRETT
Gazette-Times reporter

When Linus Pauling Middle School teacher John Harrison gives the go-ahead for his 39 beginning guitar students to practice a D-chord, what follows the words, “Just strum it,” is a noise you’d expect to hear standing next to a hive of bees.

Even with 39 students in this class of seventh- and eighth-graders, Harrison still manages to give one-on-one instruction, and he can command complete silence with a few “shhh” sounds.

Linus Pauling’s guitar class is an example of how Corvallis schools are making the most with limited resources. Proceeds from magazine sale fund-raisers and business donations have paid for nearly all the instruments. And because the room they practice in is so big, the class can accommodate extra students.

Guitar class is another way they can learn to play music if they’re not interested in band, said Linus Pauling Principal James Wickman. Music and other activities are what keep many kids engaged in school.

When Corvallis School District officials consolidated three middle schools to two campuses three years ago, it saved enough money to offset some of the reductions that would have otherwise occurred.

But it wasn’t enough to add back a second middle school elective or after-school programs.

“Fortunately, some of those have been picked up by the Boys & Girls Club,” Wickman said.

Now district officials are again considering closing and reconfiguring schools to save money.

State funding for public schools has not kept pace with rising expenses, so districts, such as Corvallis, must reduce programs and increase class size to balance the budget. Voters last year also rejected the district’s request to renew a limited property tax measure that had provided about $1.4 million each year for Corvallis public schools, or about 3 percent of the district’s $46 million annual budget.

A group appointed by the Corvallis School Board to study capacity and enrollment has been looking at whether closing or reconfiguring schools could free up more money to spend on direct classroom instruction. The Program and Resources Review Committee will meet tonight with the Corvallis School Board to talk about a timeline and the public process to review scenarios to close or reconfigure schools.

The district closed three schools in 2002 due to declining enrollment, two elementary schools and a middle school. The Program and Resource Review Committee has already reported to the school board that Corvallis schools, particularly at the secondary level, are underutilized based on their capacity.

The Program and Resource committee has evaluated what would happen if schools were consolidated or reconfigured.

Among the possibilities that would affect middle and high school students is closing Cheldelin Middle School, possibly making that building available for Franklin School to expand its K-8 program while allowing the district to complete the second phase in the Corvallis High School site master plan that calls for the demolition of the Franklin School building. Closing Cheldelin would also mean reconfiguring Linus Pauling, Crescent Valley and Corvallis high schools to make room for students from four schools at three.

The board has previously said that changes for the 2006-07 school year would be decided by December.

Closing a school or schools would save money by reducing operating expenses, such as utilities, building maintenance and support services. Officials could then use those savings to hire more teachers, or offset future reductions if expenses continue to increase faster than revenue.

If more money was available, Wickman said, he would look to add a second elective and fund after-school activities.

Middle school educators say it would be best if students could take two electives a day. Then they could take guitar class and a foreign language, either French or Spanish, which are both offered at Linus Pauling.

Instead, students have a study hall supervised by a classified staff member, where they have mandatory 15 minutes of reading and can work on and get help with homework.

Because of budget constraints this year, Linus Pauling could no longer afford to pay licensed teachers to staff study hall. It costs half as much to hire a classified employee to supervise, Wickman said.

“What would be best for students would be to replace study hall with a second elective,” he said.

COMING TUESDAY: Federal and state school rating systems call for greater accountability in public schools an Corvallis educators are trying to raise student achievement while also trimming the budget.

Rebecca Barrett covers public policy and education for the Gazette-Times. She can be reached at rebecca.barrett@lee.net or 758-9510.