SCHOOLS FACE SQUEEZE IN OPEN ENROLLMENT; LAUSD OFFICIALS EXPECT NUMBER OF SEATS TO DIP BY OVER 33%.

Byline: Sherry Joe Crosby Daily News Staff Writer

Open enrollment seats in the Los Angeles Unified School District are expected to drop by more than a third this year because of a surge in new students and smaller class sizes, officials said Monday.

Last year, parents were able to choose from 12,000 open seats at some of the district's best public schools.

This year, that number is expected to drop to 7,400 as the nation's second-largest school system continues to grow and class sizes shrink in primary grades under a state law.

``The fact of the matter is the number of available seats has been dramatically reduced this year,'' said Bruce Takeguma, assistant director of school management services, which oversees the district's open enrollment program.

The available seats are quickly disappearing because of surging enrollment and Gov. Wilson's class-size reduction program, which calls for 20 students per class in kindergarten through third grade.

During the past three years, more than 45,000 students have enrolled in the district, for a total of 680,000 students. At the same time, space virtually has disappeared as teachers use every available square inch to accommodate smaller class sizes.

``Space goes much quicker when you put 20 kids in a classroom instead of 30,'' Takeguma said. ``Schools used to have two, three extra rooms. Now, they're gone. Those two or three rooms get eaten up really quickly.''

As a result, schools have sharply curtailed the size of their open enrollment programs or suspended them altogether as they reserve space for neighborhood students.

Last year, 7,796 new students took advantage of the state's 1994 open enrollment law, which allows parents to choose their children's schools within the district regardless of location, provided that space exists and the school's racial balance is enhanced.

The previous year, about 10,400 new students participated in the program. District officials said they do not keep records of how many people apply for the open enrollment seats.

Schools with more applications than seats available, such as El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills, will hold a lottery June 3.

Last year, El Camino received more than 400 applications for 275 seats, forcing it to hold a lottery.

At Taft High School, also in Woodland Hills, about 450 people applied for 500 seats last year. This year, the school has 100 fewer seats but doesn't plan to hold a lottery because it expects to accommodate all applicants.

``We have a large open enrollment program,'' Taft Principal Ron Berz said. ``Parents like a school that provides a well-rounded educational program and high standards as well as a safe and friendly environment.''

OPEN ENROLLMENT TIPS

About 7,400 seats are available at 139 schools throughout the Los Angeles Unified School District under the open enrollment program, which allows parents to choose schools, space permitting.

Starting May 4, parents can pick up open enrollment applications at their local schools for the 1998-99 academic year. The application deadline is May 29.

Schools with more applications than seats will hold a drawing June 3. Those not chosen will be placed on a waiting list.

For schools that do not need drawings, the deadline to apply will be Sept. 18. Schools will inform parents whether a lottery will need to be held.

Parents can apply for open enrollment transfer applications to as many schools as they wish. If parents are applying to send several children to the same school, they must complete an application for each child.

If one sibling's name is drawn for a transfer, then all siblings who applied to the same school also will be issued transfers.

School buses are not provided under the open enrollment program. Parents must arrange transportation for their children.

For information, call your local school or the district's management services at [phone].

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