Education planners hear charter school pitch – Hermosa Beach
A special committee mulling options for the city’s financially ailing public schools heard from a founder of California’s charter school movement, and plans to meet again Thursday, March 3 before making a presentation to the school board Wednesday, March 9. The Strategic Planning Committee has been weighing the options of asking residents to tax themselves more, forming charter schools, merging with a neighboring school district, further reducing staffing and pay or, if all else fails, facing a county takeover of the schools. As the committee continued its study, educators also heard from a county official who reiterated that the cash-strapped city schools are in dire straits. Melvin Izuka, director of business services for the Los Angeles County Office of Education, said districts such as Hermosa’s could find it “very difficult” to meet payroll within a year or two unless a tax-extending proposal by Gov. Jerry Brown makes it onto the ballot and is approved by voters. “We’re doing what we can to stay on top of this, to be proactive,” said Jack Burns, one of two school board members who also sit on the special committee. “As an elected official in this town, I don’t want to be in a…
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