Trustees Postpone Class-Reduction Issue

Simi Valley Unified School District trustees have postponed a decision about how to make room for smaller third-grade classes until after their new superintendent takes office.

At their last meeting, trustees decided to whittle third-grade classes to 20 or fewer students starting in February. Responding to a popular $771-million state initiative that rewards school districts with $650 for every primary student in a smaller class, trustees previously decided to reduce class size in the first and second grades.

To keep third-grade classes small next school year, trustees must find 16 to 20 classrooms, possibly by opening a closed school or by moving sixth-graders from elementary school to middle school.

The mere mention of bumping sixth-graders into middle school was troubling to some parents, who have begun a petition drive opposing the shift.

The five-member school board will not address the issue of class reduction at tonight’s meeting.

To create space for smaller third-grade classes, trustees could move about 1,400 sixth-graders to middle schools for an estimated $25,000.

The decision to bump ninth-graders into high school from middle school in September left many middle-school classrooms vacant. Costlier options include reopening a closed school, buying portable classrooms or shifting to year-round schooling.

According to interim Supt. Robert Purvis, trustees decided to hold off on a decision until after new board members and a new schools chief are seated. Caesar O. Julian and Janice DiFatta will officially become school board members tonight. New Supt. Tate Paker starts work Jan 2.