CITY OF ANGELS SCHOOL PROGRAM FACES DISTRICT CUTS.Byline: Jennifer Radcliffe Staff Writer Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Unified plans to slash the number of students and campuses in an independent studies program that serves some of the district's neediest students. The City of Angels program is the latest target in a series of cuts that has seen the LAUSD's budget reduced by more than $1 billion in the last few years. Officials said the merit and efficiency of every program is being scrutinized. ``It's not an elimination of a program. It's a major downsizing (1) Converting mainframe and mini-based systems to client/server LANs. (2) To reduce equipment and associated costs by switching to a less-expensive system. (jargon) downsizing ,'' said Bud Jacobs, director of the LAUSD's high school programs. ``We're trying to decide how to tighten it up.'' About 3,000 students - mostly high schoolers - attend City of Angels classes at 45 storefront campuses across the Los Angeles Unified School District The Los Angeles Unified School District (the "LAUSD") is the largest (in terms of number of students) public school system in California and the second-largest in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population. . Jacobs said Monday that the LAUSD LAUSD Los Angeles Unified School District (Los Angeles, CA) is considering saving about $2 million a year by cutting the program to about 2,500 students at roughly 10 sites. While the plan won't be finalized See finalization. until April 15, parents and teachers are frantic about the rumors. More than 75 people showed up at a meeting Monday night in Sherman Oaks to discuss the downsizing. The program attracts students who are sick, below grade level or don't otherwise fit in at traditional schools. Some child actors and home- schooled children also utilize the classes, which meet for about an hour a week. ``For many kids, independent studies is a lifesaver,'' said Sam Platts, who teaches at a Northridge campus of City of Angels. ``We get a lot of students who simply have not been attending regular school.'' Breanna Ellis, 16, said she finds it much easier to focus on academics at City of Angels than she ever did at Cleveland High School. ``School is very distracting dis·tract tr.v. dis·tract·ed, dis·tract·ing, dis·tracts 1. To cause to turn away from the original focus of attention or interest; divert. 2. To pull in conflicting emotional directions; unsettle. ,'' the junior said. ``Kids don't really realize that school is to learn.'' Board member Jon Lauritzen said he'd be reluctant to see students taken out of the program. ``I can see maybe adding to the number of students that a teacher has. Those are pretty light workloads the way they've been running,'' said Lauritzen, adding that City of Angels teachers are typically responsible for about 50 students each. City of Angels' independent studies are part of the district's Options program, which serves 12,000 students through community day schools, schools for pregnant minors and continuation high schools A continuation high school is an alternative to a comprehensive high school primarily for students who are considered at-risk of not graduating at the normal pace. The requirements to graduate are the same but the scheduling is more flexible to allow students to earn their credits . Jacobs said those other areas will also be looked at for cuts. Jennifer Radcliffe, (818) 713-3722 jennifer.radcliffe(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Richard Smith Richard Smith is the name of:
Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer |
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