DISTRICT LOOKS AT SCHOOLS FOR TROUBLED KIDS\New law, rise in A.V. expulsions could make program necessary.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Daily News Staff Writer

Not long ago, when local high school officials looked into running their own special schools for troubled students, they opted against it.

The district had financial problems, and there just weren't that many students who couldn't be handled either in regular high schools or the continuation school.

Times have changed.

While the district before 1985 expelled about 20 students annually, last school year it kicked out more than 275. This year's pace appears headed to surpass that record.

"We think it's an appropriate time to step in. We have additional services we can offer," said David Rich, Antelope Valley Union High School District's director of pupil services. "As a large district, we can bring more services to bear with this type of student. The funding has changed and makes it feasible at this time."

One of the motivations for the district to take over operation of schools for troubled - some would say troublemaking - students is a state law that will take effect in July. Schools will no longer be allowed to expel youngsters without finding some way to continue their education.

As of today, expelled students are on their own to find a new school.

Under the new law, Rich said, "You can no longer expel students to oblivion. You expel them to a program."

In addition, Gov. Pete Wilson's budget proposal calls for giving school districts an additional $1,500 a year for certain students that enroll in programs similar to community schools.

At present, alternative schools, or community schools as they are called, are run by Los Angeles County.

But the school district's board of trustees decided at last week's meeting to go forward with a district plan to operate three schools beginning next school year. Final approval is scheduled for the April 3 meeting.

"Is it a better program than what they are now receiving?" board member Wilda Andrejcik asked. "That should be a prime consideration. We want to be able to help young people to turn around and be what they need to become."

The district schools would serve expelled students, students who have served time in juvenile probation camps and chronic truants.

The three county-run schools now serve more than 240 students in the ninth through 12th grades. The county program started eight years ago with an enrollment of about 35 students.

Expulsions - for offenses ranging from possessing guns to using obscenities - jumped 36 percent in the 1994-95 school year over the previous year.

District officials attributed the rise to more incidents being reported through the district's "zero tolerance" program with its telephone tip line and rewards for telling authorities about guns, drugs and vandalism on campus.

The loss of funding when students are expelled was listed as one of the disadvantages of having the county run the community schools, the district report said.

"A significant disadvantage for the (district) is the loss of ADA (average daily attendance) revenue for students placed in the community school on expulsion orders, particularly since this number continues to rise," the report said.

District officials have prepared a first-year budget that projects spending $973,612. The plan calls for building up the program in stages as the need arises, officials said.

"It appears that a full staff will not be needed to open the community school," the report said. "It is felt that a number of students will stay with the county program, and the (district) will build its program on an as-needed basis appropriately."

Three sites are being considered.

One is the closed Mira Loma Jail, where the district now runs jointly with the county a last-chance school for students who have been expelled for nonviolent offenses. Between 45 and 55 students attend the school at Mira Loma, which once again is being considered by state officials for housing prison inmates.

A second site is a vacant fire station in Lancaster, on Avenue M between Sierra Highway and 10th Street West. As for the third site, school officials are looking for a place that would serve the southeast Antelope Valley.

If the district were to run the program, it could require uniforms for its students."As a condition of enrollment and due to the nature of the students to be served, a strict school uniform policy is being advocated," the report said.

Other advantages to a district-run program include: the ability to provide more services and resources than the county, such as psychological services and academic, career and vocational counseling; stress parental involvement through parent support group meetings in the evenings; give students the opportunity to earn credits at an accelerated rate; and retain more local control over education of district students.

Disadvantages include uncertainty over whether the desired facilities will be available. Also, the $1,500 allotment per student has not been approved yet and might not be until August or September as part of the state budget, officials said.

If the money does not come through, the program would be scaled back, Superintendent Robert Girolamo said. "We don't want to cut into the general fund. It has to be self-supporting," he said.