School District Opposes Creation of New One
Facing surging enrollment and a severe classroom shortage, the Long Beach Unified School District has voted to oppose the creation of a new district in Lakewood.
“If we were in a period of declining enrollment and had schools to give away, it would be a different situation,” said Long Beach Supt. Carl Cohen.
“Our problem is that we are the fastest-growing large urban school district in California.”
Children in Lakewood are now served by four districts: ABC, Bellflower, Long Beach and Paramount.
Half of the 22 campuses in the proposed district are in Long Beach.
Without the Lakewood campuses, Long Beach school officials say they would have to find room for an additional 7,500 students in a school district that is overcrowded.
Building new schools could cost the Long Beach district as much as $230 million, officials said.
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