|
|
|
Meeting Date:
|
|
|
Category:
|
|
|
Type:
|
|
|
Subject:
|
|
13.1 Approval of Agreement between Azusa Unified School District (AUSD) and Greenberg Traurig, LLP |
|
|
|
Strategic Goals:
|
3. Budget and Finance To be responsible stewards of public funds and maximize the
resources needed to meet our goals, fulfill our priorities, and live up to
our values.
|
|
|
|
Enclosure:
|
|
|
File Attachment:
|
|
|
Rationale:
|
|
State law currently gives school districts the ability to declare themselves a “District of Choice (DOC),” which then allows the district to enroll students that live outside the geographic boundaries of the district without providing information to the district of residence. The program essentially allows school districts to avoid having to enter into traditional interdistrict transfer agreements with the sending school district. Because school funding is tied to the number of students that attend, the DOC program creates a perverse incentive for schools to use it to generate funding, with little or no regard for the educational needs of students. Furthermore, since its creation in 1993, the DOC program has gradually moved away from its original purpose to increase choices for public school students and now serves more as a tool for individual districts to address their declining enrollment.
Six districts (Azusa, Conejo Valley, Las Virgenes, Pomona, Rowland, and Simi Valley) are coming together to strategize how we can try to either stop the bill or force language amendments that would protect and keep the cap in place. Part of the strategy discussed was to hire a lobbyist to assist us in our efforts, reaching out to representatives to voice our concerns. Our representation/lobbying from Greenberg Traurig will include advocacy related to SB 897 (Newman), which would permanently extend California’s DOC Program and repeal the 10% cap.
The total cost for this agreement is set at $35,000, to be split equally among the jointly represented districts. |
|
|
|
Budgetary Impact:
|
|
The cost, not to exceed $5,833, to be paid from General Fund. |
|
|
|
Recommendation
|
|
It is recommended the Board of Education approve agreement between AUSD and Greenberg Traurig, LLP. |
|
|
|
Approvals:
|
|
Recommended By: |
|
Signed By: |
 |
|
Hope Near - Board Secretary |
|
|
Signed By: |
|
|
Arturo Ortega - Superintendent |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vote Results:
|
| Original Motion | | Member Sabrina Bow, Ed.D. Moved, Member Gabriela Arellanes seconded to approve the Original motion 'It is recommended the Board of Education approve agreement between AUSD and Greenberg Traurig, LLP.'. Upon a Roll-Call Vote being taken, the vote was: Aye: 3 Nay: 0. | | The motion Carried 3 - 0 | | | | | Yolanda Rodriguez-Peña | Yes | | Gabriela Arellanes | Yes | | Sabrina Bow, Ed.D. | Yes | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|