L.A. County officials recommend keeping Sagebrush in Glendale Unified
County officials will recommend Wednesday that the Sagebrush area of La Cañada remain under Glendale Unified’s jurisdiction because transferring the territory would “negatively” impact both school districts, according to a report attached to the meeting’s agenda.
Nearly four years after a group of citizens — Unite LCF! — initiated a new effort to transfer the westernmost section of La Cañada Flintridge into the La Cañada Unified School District and out of Glendale Unified’s jurisdiction, the group is expected to receive a decision on the matter Wednesday.
That’s when the Los Angeles County Committee on School District Organization is scheduled to vote to approve or deny the transfer proposal.
The recommendation from staff to the committee is to deny the transfer, according to the agenda.
The staff spent months analyzing how the proposed transfer would play out for both districts after initial negotiations between the two districts failed.
Ultimately, staff concluded, “this transfer would negatively affect the fiscal management or status of both of the affected districts,” the report states.
The document cited Glendale Unified’s potential loss of students as one impact, because the district would lose enrollment dollars it receives from the state to serve those students.
Glendale school officials have estimated they could lose $2.7 million per year if the estimated 200 to 300 Sagebrush students are transferred to La Cañada Unified.
Glendale taxpayers would also need to pay for additional bond funds if La Cañada residents were transferred out of the school district.
“These impacts would be permanent and [Glendale Unified] and its residents would feel them going forward, not just for one year,” the report states.
Meanwhile, housing more students in La Cañada Unified would bring additional costs to that district, the state and potentially to the city’s residents “in the form of additional bond indebtedness” if bonds are sought, according to the report.
La Cañada school officials, as well as members of Unite LCF! — the group seeking the transfer — were not immediately available for comment Monday.
Glendale Unified Supt. Winfred Roberson Jr., however, issued the following statement Monday afternoon:
“We were happy to learn that the LACOE staff recommended that the L.A. County Committee deny Unite LCF’s petition to transfer territory. We are now waiting to hear the Committee’s decision on Wednesday and will determine next steps once a decision has been made. In the meantime we are focused on student learning.”
The county committee will meet 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Education Center boardroom of the Los Angeles County Office of Education, 9300 Imperial Highway in Downey.
Twitter: @kellymcorrigan
