Save Ocean Shore School

We are against the board’s decision for the following reasons:

Rushed Process: Similar closures in other areas typically involve longer timelines and robust planning. Here, the district rushed to a decision, bypassing steps that would protect educational quality, safety, and equity. We also don’t see the urgency. A state takeover is only a risk if our reserves fall below 3%, yet the budget certified on December 18, 2024, projects reserves at 4.8% for the next three years.

Unclear Budget Numbers: The District’s deficit projections fluctuate widely, casting doubt on the true severity of the shortfall and undermining community trust.

Questionable Legal Maneuvers: The District’s use of terms like “co-location” and “reconfiguration” seems designed to avoid formal closure protocols – such as equity studies or a longer public process (see Assembly Bill 1912 and California Department of Education Guidelines on School Closures).

Reliance on a Single, Flawed Study: The school closure plan relies on one report (the Demographer’s Report by King Consulting) that omits key details and does not explicitly recommend closing a school. Few, if any, other studies have been conducted, nor have solutions been seriously studied.

No Transition Plan: No one has clarified how this transition will be managed or implemented. The district told us that no plans have been made yet. Key details remain unknown, such as which classrooms the students will occupy in a co-location, how bell schedules and recess/lunch times will be managed, which staff positions will be cut, how the special education classes will transition, and what level of access Ocean Shore School students will have to resources at Sunset Ridge Elementary, given its Title I status and the legal requirements that come with it. On January 31, 2025, the district invited parents and staff to apply to join a transition plan committee. The committee meetings are scheduled to run for four hours each, from noon to the afternoon, with dates extending until May. This timing excludes many teachers, full-time working parents, and those with childcare responsibilities in the afternoon.

Drastic Reduction in K-8 Access: Pacifica families deserve equal access to K-8 education. Cutting the number of K-8 programs from three to one school slashes K-8 middle school spots from 43% to just 17%, leaving many families with fewer or no K-8 choices. The K-8 model is essential to the successful learning programs at Ocean Shore and Vallemar. Dismantling them is nothing less than a closure. Read a parent’s view on Why Losing K-8 Schools is a Step Backward for Pacifica’s Students in a letter to editor in the Pacifica Tribune.

Minimal Community Input: The District points to the Superintendent Budget Collaborative meetings and subcommittee sessions as proof of transparency, yet these gatherings involved only a narrow group of participants behind closed doors. While the Superintendent asserts these meetings constituted community involvement in the decision to close a school, this is inaccurate. These committees did not fully evaluate various solutions or the decision to close a school with proper community engagement. In reality, no consensus emerged from these limited meetings, and the public was only informed of the closure plan on January 11, 2025, just days before the Board’s vote.

Possible Benefit of State Oversight: A state takeover happens only if reserves fall below 3%. While not ideal, such oversight could bring the financial accountability and scrutiny our district needs.

The legal letter sent from the Ocean Shore School PTO details some of the concerns regarding Pacifica School District’s processes leading up to the school board vote on January 22, 2025.

We are calling for an immediate reversal of the resolutions that the Pacifica School Board passed on January 22, 2025.

The Ocean Shore PTO has retained the educational law firm YM&C to take legal action to press for this reversal. We believe there should be ample time to properly review the closure of a school, rather than only having 11 days to consider the school district’s proposal. We are calling for the Pacifica School District to allow time for due process, meaningful community input, and thorough analysis to find budget solutions that preserve our K-8 programs and maintain Pacifica’s education quality.

Additionally, we are asking for a full CEQA impact analysis, as strongly recommended by the district’s own legal advisors. Such a study would typically take at least a year or more to thoroughly examine all relevant issues, including traffic and economic impact on nearby businesses.

If you wish to support this effort, you can donate to our efforts. Please also contact the Ocean Shore Parent-Teacher Organization Presidents if you would like to offer support in other ways.