HUNTINGTON BEACH : Plans to Reconfigure Schools Put on Hold

The Ocean View School District’s plans to rearrange several of its schools have been put on hold for at least two months while officials await word from the federal government about the district’s desegregation plans.

As a result, the plans--which are expected to close at least two schools, create four middle schools and change school boundaries districtwide--will not be implemented before September, 1992, Supt. Monte McMurray said.

The district’s concurrent efforts to curb racial isolation at some schools and reorganize educational programs, both more than a year in the works, had been expected to be in place this fall.

Those plans recently hit a snag, however, as the federal Office of Civil Rights has taken more than two months to review the district’s racial-integration proposal.

McMurray said he doubts that the agency will return its evaluation of the integration plan within the next two months. He said he believes that the office has been slow to respond to the proposal because the changes planned for Oak View School, whose population is 89% ethnic minorities, may still leave it a racially isolated site.

So, district officials are now preparing an alternative desegregation plan, due to be unveiled within a month.

The delays come as parents from affected schools have galvanized their campaign against the proposed changes.

More than 100 parents packed Tuesday’s school board meeting at Westmont School to oppose the reconfiguration plan, which would change four kindergarten-through-eighth-grade schools to middle schools composed of sixth, seventh and eighth grades.

The proposal also calls for two school closures, naming Crest View, Haven View and Sun View schools as the most likely candidates.