Has anybody seen the facilities use agreement?

A tonight’s school board meeting, Item 9.1 is to include a presentation and discussion of the facilities use agreement that SCUSD has with St. Hope Public Schools.

On the agenda, Item 9.1 is clearly labelled as an action item. Local education activists who have contacted board members and administration have been told that the item is for discussion only. So which is it? Or is it more likely that the agreement was scheduled for confirmation until activists raised the questions that so urgently need to be asked?

The Observer hates to sound cyncial but the above scenario has played out in the past with regard to the former Sacramento High School facility.

The updated SCUSD website does not have current/available copies of the actual text of the agreements. The public was promised these agreements at the end of July after their placement on the June 4th agenda.

How can SCUSD justify leasing a comprehensive high school facility to a charter program that is operating well-below enrollment capacity? Given the recent school closings can SCUSD afford the underutilization of the historic Sacramento High School campus?

Should SCUSD reauthorize again a facility use agreement in a location which does not seem to achieve the diverse student population called for in district policy and the charter agreement?

In the interest of keeping this posting short, we’ll temporarily sidestep the questions regarding St. Hope’s money problems, its co-location of an elementary school and an adult education center on the campus, and a myriad of other questions that beg for answers…

…questions that our board members need to be asking before they start ratifying anything. Maybe they’ll ponder these queries while they’re hanging out with Kevin Johnson and Dinger at today’s photo opportunity with Arne Duncan and Jack O’Connell.
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Board Meeting Thursday evening…

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On the agenda:

Charter School Quarterly Report
St. HOPE public schools
Charter Facility Use Agreements

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School Board approves a one-year agreement for St. Hope

In last night’s meeting, the SCUSD Board acted to approve a draft Facilities Use Agreement that grants a one year contract of non-exclusive use of the Sacramento High School campus by the ST. HOPE Corporation.

Board Meeting, Thursday September 4

Agenda here

Excerpt:
8:35 p.m. Item 11.3 Approve the Facilities Use Agreements between Sacramento City Unified School District and the Language Academy, St. HOPE PS7 Charter School and St. HOPE Sacramento Charter High School (Priority #8) (Tom Barentson)
Action Item
10 minute presentation
15 minute discussion

Thursday Night’s Board Meeting at 8:03 p.m.

Item # 9.3
Update Regarding the Facilities Use Agreements Between the Sacramento City Unified School District and the Language Academy, St. Hope PS 7 Charter School, and St. Hope Sacramento Charter High School (Priority #8) Tom Barentson
Conference
10 minute presentation
10 minute discussion