Episode 85 From Campus to Closure: The Legal and Practical Approaches to School Closure

By Lozano Smith | November 27, 2024

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This Lozano Smith Podcast episode is the fourth and final in a 4-part series Leadership in Action, brought to you by Lozano Smith and Lozano Smith’s Concierge Consulting Services, also known as CCS. Due to a long pattern of declining enrollment and resulting budget challenges, school districts around the state are increasingly faced with making the difficult decision of whether and how to close or consolidate schools. In this episode, host Sloan Simmons engages with Lozano Smith CCS expert Ron Carruth, Ed.D. and Partner Harold Freiman regarding their unique expertise and best practice recommendations for this challenging process, which is often fraught with emotion for the schools and for the community. Adding to the challenge are recent legal guidances on school consolidation and on equity considerations that should be considered. Practical takeaways on this topic from this episode—whether on demographics studies, communication plans, or legal strategies—can benefit superintendents, school district cabinet leaders of all departments, and school board members.

Show Notes & References

4:10 – Observations on school consolidation
7:00 – Decreases in ADA (Average Daily Attendance) and demographic patterns
8:19 – Lessons on reconfiguration/consolidation
11:12 – Key legal issues surrounding reconfiguration/consolidation
11:50 – Community input (Education Code section 17487)
12:22 – CDE guidance (Best Practices Guide for Potential School Closure)
14:09 – Assembly Bill (AB) 1912 and specific school closure requirements for financially distressed school districts
16:37 – Equity issues and Attorney General guidance letter (April 2023)
20:35 – Criteria to consider
24:24 – Awareness of common legal challenges
26:18 – Comparing the established 7/11 committee process to the new guidance on district advisory committees
29:31 – Insights into the motivations behind and creation of AB 1912
33:49 – Careful analysis in assisting districts with reconfiguration/closure
37:22 – Demographics, parameters, and best practices regarding time frames
39:24 – Communication plans, community outreach, and the importance of good documentation
45:43 – The Superintendent’s role in the reconfiguration/closure process
48:14 – The importance of engaging with the entire district team
50:54 – The Board’s role in the reconfiguration/closure process
56:01 – Final thoughts

To learn more about the Lozano Smith’s Concierge Consulting Services (CCS) team, join us here.

For more information on the topics discussed in this podcast, please visit our website at: www.lozanosmith.com/podcast.