A Letter to the Hart-Ransom
Community
Volume 9 Issue 1
January 2010
The state of the district
So far, the 2009-2010 school year has been a good one for our two schools and the District as a whole. District enrollment has remained steady. The elementary school currently has 711 students, plus 20 deaf and hard of hearing students in county-operated classes housed on the Hart-Ransom campus. The charter school has 267 students. Student achievement improved for the schools in 2009. Both met all “Adequate Yearly Progress” standardized testing performance targets required by the federal government’s “No Child Left Behind” Act. Additionally, both schools surpassed their annual goal on the State’s student achievement measurement, the Academic Performance Index (API). The charter school score grew by 32 points over 2008, to 791. The elementary school improved 31 points, to 826. On the 1000 point API, the goal for schools to meet is 800, with yearly incremental progress required after reaching that benchmark. With excellent teaching and supplemental instructional support, Hart Ransom students are meeting the achievement challenge.
Charter school recognition
Hart-Ransom Academic Charter School was featured earlier this month by the Modesto Bee in a two-part report on charter schools in Stanislaus County. The Bee did a fine job in describing the school’s excellent programs.
Construction project
State matching funds for the construction project continue to be frozen by the Pooled Money Investment Board. California needs to sell additional bonds on Wall Street before school district allocations are released. We are waiting as patiently as we can for that future bond sale; the State won’t commit to a possible time frame for such a sale.
Budget issues
Governor Schwarzenegger has released his budget proposal for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. Although he has vowed not to cut public education, that is not the case. The Proposition 98 minimum school funding guarantee would actually be reduced by 2.2 billion over two years if this budget were to stand. Although the January proposed budget specifics are usually re-done at the May budget revision, school districts must develop preliminary budgets using the January numbers as guidelines. In its 2009-2010 budget, the District was proactive in addressing funding shortfalls. All staff members agreed to a series of ongoing and one-time salary reductions, and teachers and administrators also took a furlough day. The district office staff consolidated responsibilities, and one of the four positions was eliminated. It appears that we will be forced to consider further staff reductions for the 2010-2011 school year. A Budget Development Advisory Committee will begin meeting in February to identify areas for possible reductions to assist the Board of Trustees in setting programmatic and operational priorities for the next school year. The final budget must be adopted by the Board no later than June 30.
Appreciation for our board members
On December 3, 2009, Board Members Randy Heinrich and Scott Vincent completed twelve years of dedicated service to the students, staff and community members of Hart-Ransom. We will miss them, and appreciate the leadership they have shown the District through the thoughtful decisions they have participated in over the years. Taking their places on the Board are Jim Cover and Tom Grover. Jim and Tom are parents of Hart-Ransom students, and Jim is a Hart-Ransom alumni. Jim also maintains a family tradition of service to the District. His father, Alan Cover, served on the Hart-Ransom Board during the 1970s and 1980s. We welcome them to the Board, and thank them for their willingness to serve.
Again, as always, if you have any thoughts, concerns or questions regarding any aspect of district operations, please do not hesitate to contact me.
R. Ream Lochry, Ed.D.
Superintendent
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