VENTURA : State to Repay Fine of $198,000 to Schools

The state Board of Education has waived a nearly $200,000 penalty levied against the Ventura Unified School District for putting more elementary students in classes than state law allows.

With the waiver, state Department of Education officials said they will repay the district in February the full amount of the fine.

The state had reduced its June payment to the district by about $198,000, as a penalty for the district’s having exceeded the state maximum of 32 students per elementary school class.

Two schools--Will Rogers and Poinsettia--each had a class of 33 students last year.

But the district applied to the state to waive the fine, pleading special circumstances.

As the district argued, wide fluctuations in the number of students enrolling at Ventura schools in recent years has made it difficult for school officials to plan ahead on class size.

In addition, the district lacks the space to establish new classrooms to keep up with the growing number of students.

And some of the biggest growth is occurring at schools with bilingual education classes. The students who speak limited English at these schools could not be served adequately at other schools that may have more room.

Assistant Supt. Joseph Richards said the district will add the $198,000 repayment from the state in February to its financial reserve.