VENTURA COUNTY FOCUS : COUNTYWIDE : Supervisors May Back School Grant

Ventura County supervisors on Tuesday will consider adding their support to those calling for the Ventura County Board of Education to accept a $500,000 federal vocational-training grant.

Supervisor John Flynn also is requesting that the Board of Supervisors act as the local administrator of the money if the county superintendent of schools office is unable to do so.

County school trustees voted last month to reject the grant if it is awarded. The conservative board majority said it is concerned that accepting the money will allow too much federal control over local education.

But a growing backlash of educators, business leaders and government officials is demanding that another avenue be found to accept the money. The grant will pay for a program that introduces more than 50,000 high school and community college students to careers.

Flynn said the program would work well with the county’s welfare reform proposals, which seek to put able-bodied residents to work and keep them off public assistance.

“I believe it is easy to see its value and how it fits right in with what we are trying to do in welfare reform,” Flynn said in a report to supervisors.

However, the county’s intervention may not be necessary. County schools chief Charles Weis has said he will ignore his governing board’s vote and accept the federal money if it is offered.