Twin Rivers Unified School District's Response to*

R1

Every school district in Sonoma County that is not currently a K-12 or basic aid district should request a CCSDO study to determine if educational and/or financial benefits could be achieved through either consolidation or unification.

R2

Every city or town council in Sonoma County should exercise their prerogative per the E.C. 35720-35724 to initiate a CCSDO study of educational and financial benefits that might be achieved for their citizens through consolidation or unification of school districts within their city boundaries.

R3

As per the E.C. 35720-35724, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors should request that the CCSDO initiate a fact finding study for the purpose of determining the educational and financial benefits, if any, of reconfiguring or consolidating school districts within their overlapping jurisdictions within Sonoma County into K12, or other configurations of unified school districts, that would benefit all stakeholders.

R4

The Sonoma County Superintendent of Schools should sponsor twice-annual regional meetings of all school district superintendents to: (a) discuss and implement "best practices"; (b) explore and implement school district cost-sharing programs that would reduce school district duplication; (c) initiate horizontal and vertical articulation of classroom curriculum, in order to meet educational needs, which benefit the students going forward feeding into the high school district; (d) provide for prompt transfer of pupil records among all schools that any student may chose to attend in Sonoma County, especially those students who are entering a secondary school districts.

R5

All CCSDO studies should include the statutory elements required by the state educational code and: (a) an evaluation of an articulated K-12 curriculum, (b) the economic benefits of Special Education, transportation, administrative services, (c) board members' health and welfare benefits, and (d) stipend savings through elimination of duplicate services.

R6

The CCSDO, in an effort to better manage costs, should study the potential savings available by reconfiguring the CBOE trusteeships (currently 7 members) to align with the County Board of Supervisors (currently 5). A new, smaller CBOE would then also reflect current census distribution within the county.

R7

The County Board of Education and the County Superintendent of Schools should support and work with state legislators to establish a provision in the educational code that would empower the County Superintendent to make his/her own request for district consolidation or unification studies if a school district has filed qualified or negative financial certification for two or more years.

R8

The Sonoma County Board of Education should conduct a study of SCOE to determine the possible costs and savings of fewer school districts to manage Sonoma County Schools, and where those costs/savings, if any, could be applied to better the education of students.

R9

All 40 Districts in Sonoma County shall respond to the following questions, which will be published by the Grand Jury: a. After hearing public comments and by a majority vote of the Board of Directors we invite or decline to cooperate with a SCOE funded study to discover whether there could be benefits to both educational and financial costs in district consolidation. b. Current 2010/2011 enrollment is . Enrollment for 2009/2010 was c. We are currently a K-12 unified school district? ____ yes, or ____no. If not our current structure is: ______, d. We are or not currently classified as a Basic Aid District. As a Basic id District we derive the following financial benefit: e. We currently have enrolled _____students living outside district boundaries. Five years ago there were students living outside district boundaries. f. We currently have students living inside district boundaries who have chosen to attend schools in other districts. How many such students were there in the 2005/2006 school year_ ? g. There are currently dependent and independent charter schools operating within our district. Five years ago there were _____dependent and _____ independent charter schools in our district. h. We currently have developed effective protocols with all surrounding districts to insure complete and timely access to student records transferring in or out of our district ___yes ___no. i. We currently ____have or ____ have not implemented coordinated plans to insure articulation and basic curriculum compatibility with those districts most likely to receive our students and from whom we are likely to receive students. do not have Joint Power Agreements (JPAS), or similar j. We currently have or significant shared cost saving plans with neighboring districts.

R10

1 The Board of Trustees must conduct a monthly review of the status and costs of each lawsuit involving Twin Rivers.

R11

1 The Board of Trustees must stop using Fund 24 bond money as a source for funds for Twin Rivers. v. CFS, et al.

R12

1 A more equitable election process would provide that the trustees be elected directly from their individual districts rather than at large.

R13

1 The Board of Trustees, using a wide variety of strategies and resources, must ensure that parents of all students are made aware of all programs offered to students by the district, including those programs offered by dependent charter schools.

R14

1 The Board of Trustees and the Twin Rivers Superintendent should engage in active listening and consistent responsive communications, and encourage the involvement of all members of the Twin Rivers communities.