Proposed Elementary Schools Consolidation and Improvement Plan
Executive Summary ~~~ December 04, 2002

INTRODUCTION: This document summarizes the Superintendent’s final recommendation regarding school closures and mergers. The events of the past few months have resulted in a broad spectrum of the Cambridge community taking a hard and thoughtful look at declining enrollment, need for improved achievement, and commitment to providing equitable access to high quality education for all Cambridge students.

In the process, I believe that individually and collectively, we have learned and reaffirmed much that is valuable and will, over the long term, serve in the best educational interests of children. Many aspects of our schools are serving children well and must be preserved. Families, staff and students deeply value their individual schools and are strong and passionate in voicing their support. This passion extends to ensuring that the Cambridge Public Schools as a system is the best that it can be, with a healthy balance between educational soundness and fiscal responsibility. Clear criteria, open communication, collaboration, and willingness to change are fundamental to effective planning, decision making, and community relationships.

The Elementary School Consolidation Plan was developed in order to correct the inefficient use of our facilities, resulting from declining enrollment, which has been draining financial resources from educational programs. In addition to the efficient use of our facilities and an equitable distribution of resources, the plan was developed with a goal of maintaining or increasing the number of students by meeting demand for programs and reducing waitlists.

Along with strengthening the educational program, one of the goals of the elementary school consolidation plan is to provide financial stability to the school district and to individual schools. The Cambridge Public Schools Five Year Financial Plan, developed to provide an economic framework for future educational resource allocations, projects an $2,500,000 funding shortfall in FY 2003-04. The proposed consolidation plan generates a savings of $3,259,000 in FY 2003-04, and an additional $757,000 over the following two years for a cumulative savings of $4,016,000.

BACKGROUND: Over the past five years, elementary school enrollment declined from 5754 to 5073 and is projected to decline to 4704 over the next five years, a 19.1% decline over a ten-year period. Within individual elementary schools, class sizes range from a student-teacher ratio of 12:1 to 20:1. All told, there are currently 2019 available seats at the elementary level based upon a student to teacher ratio of 20:1. The total number of empty seats at the elementary level results in a wide disparity in the efficient usage of building capacity, ranging from a low of 58% usage compared to capacity, to a high of 96%. Overall, elementary enrollment is at 72% of building capacity.

EDUCATIONAL GOALS: The educational goals in this process continue to be: (1) To have excellent instruction in every classroom; (2) To insure access and equity through high quality learning experiences for all students; (3) To maintain high expectations for all students; (4) To sustain the district-wide focus on literacy/language arts, mathematics and inclusion; (5) To provide relevant professional development opportunities; (6) To provide ongoing support for school improvement through coordination, development and reporting of student achievement data (7) To implement the K-8 Learning Expectations; (8) To implement and expand the Instructional Support Coach Model; (9) To strengthen district collaboration with schools to assure effective support to elementary and secondary sites.

THE PROPOSED PLAN --- The proposed plan was developed following criteria and educational goals set by the School Committee and with full input from elementary principals as well as the principal of the high school. While the principals may not agree with the individual schools chosen they fully agree to the concept of closing two elementary schools. A copy of a letter signed by all 16 district principals agreeing with the concept of closing two schools is attached. Upon approval of the plan, the elementary school structure in Cambridge would be as follows:

BENEFITS: The closure of two elementary school will allow the district to: (1) Provide all students with equitable educational opportunities to support academic achievement, (2) Provide students with opportunities to attend schools with students of diverse backgrounds. (3) Institute better equity of class size. (4) Utilize district resources more efficiently. (5) Meet parent demand for programs by expanding seats at highly chosen schools and therefore reduce the waitlist. (6) Create movement towards natural proportions of special education students. (7) Move each school towards the diversity goals of the CPS Controlled Choice Plan. OUTCOMES: (1) Proficiency for every student as measured by multiple authentic assessments. (2) An outstanding faculty as measured by assessments and participation in effective professional development.

K-8 ACADEMIC PROGRAMS: The Cambridge Public Schools offers three types of K-8 academic program approaches: comprehensive, magnet, & alternative. The comprehensive program – which is offered in ALL of our schools, provides a rich and broad program of study, addressing math, science, English, language arts, social studies, the arts, foreign language, and physical education. In our magnet or alternative programs, students are able to focus to a greater extent on a particular discipline and participate in specialized courses, activities, and delivery methods not available in other schools.

DISTRICT & SCHOOL-BASED SERVICES: The focus on "Excellent Instruction in Every Classroom" defines the work of our school communities and district support offices. To accomplish the district goal, the Office of the Deputy Superintendent for Teaching & Learning coordinates with the Offices of: Curriculum Development, Professional Development, Special Education, Student Achievement and Accountability, and Bilingual Education to provide school communities with a menu of both site-based and district-wide support opportunities. Support opportunities are aligned with areas of need as identified by teaching staff and administrators and are designed to support schools as they work to meet not only local, state, and national standards of excellence, but also laws and regulations to be implemented.

A SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTABILITY: The Cambridge Public Schools are committed to helping all students achieve at high levels. Through a School Improvement Planning process, each school reviews student achievement data and uses the results to improve curriculum, programs and instructional practices. School Improvement Plans are updated annually as schools monitor their progress in increasing achievement for all students.

PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT: Program improvement is designed as a way to support school efforts to increase enrollment demand for a school. It is a key component in CPS Controlled Choice Plan. Schools participating in Program Improvement develop a plan to implement a particular school theme or focus. Resources are provided to the school to enhance professional development and support services. Ongoing assessment of the school’s reform effort is reported to the superintendent on a quarterly basis.

FINANCIAL IMPACT: The consolidation plan is projected to result in annual savings of $3,259,000 in FY2003-04, with an additional savings of $757,000 over the following two years for a cumulative savings of $4,016,000. The projected cost savings is a result of 53.3 position reductions [teacher, administrative, & other]. This savings will enable the district to cover a projected $2,500,000 deficit in the FY2003-2004 budget as well as reallocate the additional savings of over $750,000 to elementary schools. The savings in the out years includes $205,000 from the relocation of Central Office staff to school sites.

STUDENT ASSIGNMENT: Under the Plan, students in the Fitzgerald and Harrington Schools will be allowed priority transfer rights to any elementary school in the district with available seats regardless of socioeconomic status (SES). The waiver of SES is only for this special transfer process and the normal Controlled Choice Program will continue thereafter. A freeze on all transfers within the system is in immediate effect and will not be removed until after the School Committee’s final vote on the Plan. Upon approval of the plan, students in the Fitzgerald and Harrington Schools will file transfer requests during the month of January. New assignments, developed by lottery, will be released in early February, before Kindergarten registration. In addition to the district-wide priority transfer requests granted to Harrington and Fitzgerald students, these students will be given super priority rights for open seats in the schools relocated to the closed schools. In other words, Fitzgerald students will have super priority transfer rights at the relocated Graham & Parks School, while Harrington students will have super priority transfer rights at the relocated King Open School. Students in the Ola Program will have the same transfer priority rights as Harrington and Fitzgerald students. Students at the Graham and Parks and King Open will have no priority transfer rights. Students receiving a new assignment may transfer either in the current year if spaces are available or in September of 2003. It should also be noted that Fitzgerald and Harrington students currently on a waitlist to transfer to another school will not fall lower on the waitlist (through the lottery process) than they are at the time of the School Committee vote to approve the plan. However it may be possible, through the lottery process, for such a student to move up higher on the waitlist.

SCHOOL LEADERSHIP AND TEACHER ASSIGNMENT: Principals and Assistant Principals will have primary responsibility for the educational and administrative leadership of each school. Teacher and other staff assignments will be accomplished in a manner that results in maximum educational continuity and minimal disruption for staff and students.

Attachment A - Financial Analysis of School Closures Plan
Attachment A-2 - Projected Enrollments & Classroom Staffing
Attachment A-3 - Estimate of Enrollment Redistribution
Attachment A-4 - Estimated Impact on Socioeconomic Distribution

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