Board Maps Crusade to Sell 12-Month School

Conceding that they have done a poor job of selling year-round schools to the public, the Los Angeles Board of Education on Thursday unveiled a public-relations campaign it hopes will create more support for the 12-month schedule.

Plans call for a 30-minute television special on year-round schools, a telephone hot line featuring the latest news on the conversion program, billboards and a live television show on the district’s KLCS Channel 58, in which viewers can call in their questions to school officials.

A speakers bureau featuring authorities on year-round education is to be established and committees to research year-round issues will be formed at schools and at district regional headquarters.

There will also be a “super” citywide year-round school committee comprised of business, political and community leaders. School officials hope this so-called “decision-makers” group can help smooth problems such as the coordinating of summer recreation and job programs.

The campaign is a result of top school officials’ displeasure over derailment last year of plans to begin a districtwide phasing in of year-round schools in 1987 to accommodate the fast-growing student population.

During public hearings, parents and teachers from schools named as potential year-round candidates complained bitterly that they had little or no notice that their schools were being considered for conversion. As a result, the plans were put on hold.

Cost of the public relations campaign was initially estimated at $30,000 for the first year and $50,000 for the second. Board members said the program’s price tag was reasonable, but told district staff members not to be afraid to ask more money for the program.

“This is a major PR effort,” said Roberta Weintraub, East San Fernando Valley representative, who added that the program is too important to cut corners. “This would be penny-wise and pound-foolish,” she said.

To give itself more time to sell the year-round concept, the school board decided not to add any schools to the 12-month schedule until 1988. There are now 93 year-round schools, most of which are in the eastern and central-city sections of the district.

School officials are scheduled to announce in late February the names of schools to be considered for conversion to year-round schedules in 1988.

When making his recommendation to board members not to create more year-round schools in 1987, Supt. Harry Handler acknowledged that the district “had not been able to effectively communicate with all the audience” it wanted to reach.

“We need to do a better job so the public can fully understand implications of the overcrowding problem and the educational benefits of year-round education,” Handler said.

At a hearing Thursday, board members agreed that the district needs to sharpen its sales pitch for year-round schools and that the new program is an improvement over past, less-defined efforts.

“My only regret is that we didn’t do this six or seven years ago,” said board member John Greenwood. “If we had, we would have had a smoother transition and wouldn’t face all the problems we do now.”

Opponents Should Be on Committees

Board members instructed staff members to make sure that all district committees include people who have opposed the year-round proposals. Board member Tom Bartman, whose West Valley district has been a stronghold of resistance, was especially insistent that opponents of the plan be involved in research committees.

And, although board members agreed that a new marketing approach is needed, they said they do not want to obscure problems that must be surmounted to make the program successful.

“It is very important that we don’t gild the lily,” said Jackie Goldberg, who represents the central-city and Hollywood areas. Year-round schools “mean change, and that alone will be difficult for some people to accept.”