No solid solution found in Sagebrush options for Glendale, La Cañada school districts

A consultant hired last year by Glendale and La Cañada school districts, as well as the city of La Cañada, recently released a list of potential mitigation options for both school districts to review should they continue negotiations over the Sagebrush area, the long-disputed territory located in La Cañada Flintridge that has historically been served by Glendale Unified.

The seven-page report concludes that any one of the options, or even a combination of them, would not result in a “comprehensive mitigation of the potential impacts” of the Sagebrush territory transfer into La Cañada Unified.

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“It appears that currently no individual or combination of mitigation options explored in our review results in a comprehensive mitigation of the potential impacts resulting from the proposed Sagebrush territory for both LCUSD and GUSD,” according to the report.

The 385-acre territory encompasses about 900 residential parcels, where about 365 students live, the report states.

Of the Sagebrush students, 278 currently attend Glendale schools, while 86 go to La Cañada schools, beginning with the 2013-14 school year, after requesting transfers.

The report notes several options, including that La Cañada Unified construct or acquire additional facilities to accommodate a boost in enrollment of students who would no longer be attending Glendale schools.

It also suggests that both school districts reach a “revenue-sharing agreement” to mitigate enrollment changes.

However, the report does not thoroughly explore the financial impacts of the transfer to Glendale Unified, which disappointed Tom Smith, who renewed efforts to transfer the territory in 2013 and is chair of Unite LCF.

“Without an evaluation of the reasonableness of the financial impact to GUSD, how do you say, ‘This can’t be bridged,’ if you don’t even know what the gap is?” he said.

Negotiations between school officials began after Smith received support from both La Cañada Unified and the city of La Cañada, to seek a territory transfer.

By the end of 2014, Glendale Unified had proposed that La Cañada Unified pay Glendale $23 million for the territory over 12 years, which meant that La Cañada would pay $6.8 million in debt service for two Glendale school bonds and $16 million to cover Glendale Unified’s expected decreased enrollment.

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La Cañada officials balked at that cost and asked for more negotiations, which skidded to a halt last year when Glendale Unified Supt. Dick Sheehan took the top job in Covina-Valley Unified.

After Sheehan’s departure, three interim superintendents oversaw Glendale Unified until the start of this month, when Winfred Roberson started as Glendale’s superintendent.

About two months before Roberson began his new role, Unite LCF initiated a call to Sagebrush residents to sign a petition with plans to potentially deliver it to Los Angeles County Committee on School District Organization, seeking the transfer should negotiations end.

Now, before Unite LCF turns in any of the signatures, Smith said there is at least one more order of business to complete, and that is to meet with Roberson and weigh whether or not there could be any future negotiations.

That meeting is expected to be held on May 11.

For her part, Armina Gharpetian, president of the Glendale school board, said her district has worked collaboratively with La Cañada Unified to reach an agreeable outcome, adding that Glendale Unified has approved student transfer requests to attend La Cañada schools.

“The Capitol Advisors report clearly states that available options will have significant negative impacts on both districts,” she said in an email. “[Glendale Unified] has performed appropriate diligence and, at this point, must wait to see how the Sagebrush petitioners respond.”

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Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com

Twitter: @kellymcorrigan