Encinitas Union School District
101 S. Rancho Santa Fe Road
Encinitas, California 92024-4349
Phone: (760) 944-4300 | FAX (760) 944-4393

Encinitas to discuss school boundaries

Kimberly Epler
Staff Writer
North County Times

ENCINITAS - Burgeoning   growth in areas served by the   Encinitas Union School District   is prompting an evaluation of   the boundaries that determine   which elementary school a   child attends.      The district will hear public   comment on possible changes   to school boundaries at 6:30   p.m. Monday in the gym of the   Boys & Girls Club of Encinitas,   1221 Encinitas Blvd.      "It will help us get a feel for   what people feel is the closer   school for them and different   options to give to the board,"   said Bonnie Drolet, assistant superintendent of Education Services. Drolet is heading a 16-member boundary committee comprised of nine parents,   one from each school; three   community members; and four   district staff representatives --  formed to review the issue.  The committee is still in the   fact-finding stages and has not   developed any recommendations, she said.

Another public   hearing will take place in June,   before options are presented to   the board of trustees, who will   make the final decision on any changes, and when they are implemented. Comments and concerns voiced at Monday's meeting will be incorporated into  boundary recommendations expected to go before the board  of trustees in late June, Drolet  said.   

Two large housing developments, La Costa Valley in south   Carlsbad and Ecke Ranch in  north Encinitas, are primed to  bring more students into the  district in the next several years.

A new school is opening  in south Carlsbad in fall 2000,  meaning students will be  moved to the new facility. In addition to the new   growth, families with children  are moving into neighborhoods  that traditionally have produced few students. In addition, state-mandated class-size  reduction measures are devouring all available space. “All of these factors point to needed changes in the system that determines which students     from which neighborhoods attend which schools,” Drolet, said.      

The district is ready to open  its 10th elementary school by    Fall 2000 in the La Costa Valley    housing project east of El Camino Real and north of     Olivenhain Road. The district     currently serves 5,300 students in Encinitas and south Carlsbad. The boundary committee   held a meeting in March and  developed goals to use as an outline during the process.    Those goals are to minimize the need for transportation; Provide safe routes to    school; keep an ethnic balance; minimize future disruptions    when new schools are built,    watch future developments;  minimize overcrowding and opportunity for displaced children.

“Are we going to be able to    meet each and every of those    goals 100 percent,” Drolet said.    "Probably not. But we are going to try.”