After ongoing discussions and debate on how to solve ongoing budget and enrollment shortages, the Cupertino Unified School District (CUSD) Board of Education put forth an official recommendation for school consolidation and closures that will go into effect at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year.
With the failure of the Measure A parcel tax proposal earlier this year, CUSD was forced to review other proposed remedies including school closures, staff layoffs and salary freezes, creating a new parcel tax based on square footage, or some combination of school closures and tax increases.
At last week’s board meeting on September 23, staff presented a series of cost-cutting recommendations that will be put to a vote at the upcoming board meeting on October 14. The recommendations were presented in the following order:
- CUSD determined that it would not be feasible to consider the closure of any middle school for the next three years. Staff recommends continued monitoring of middle school enrollment to determine if future closures need to be made.
- Consolidation of Muir Elementary School
- Re-locate the Cupertino Language Immersion Program (CLIP) to the Muir site and maintain the Mandarin Preschool also at the Muir site.
- Permanently close Regnart Elementary School
- Permanently close Meyerholz Elementary School
- Three Parts:
- Cap alternative schools at no more than four Kindergarten classes
- Staff at Elementary schools with a minimum of two Kindergarten classrooms
- Allow priority enrollment to designated school zones and establish boundaries
Following last week’s meeting, CUSD staff will meet on Tuesday, September 28 at Muir, Regnart and Meyerholz schools. Community town hall meetings are also scheduled for each individual school throughout the week.
See below for information on how to join the upcoming community town hall meetings:
Regnart Elementary
Tuesday, September 28 at 6:00 p.m.
Zoom LINK – Passcode: 282327
Mobile Dial-In:
US: +16699006833,,81484244939#,,,,*282327# or +14086380968,,81484244939#,,,,*282327#
Meyerholz Elementary
Wednesday, September 29 at 6:00 p.m.
Zoom LINK – Passcode: 763646
Mobile Dial-In:
US: +16699006833,,83777072673#,,,,*763646# or +14086380968,,83777072673#,,,,*763646#
John Muir Elementary
Thursday, September 30 at 6:00 p.m.
Zoom LINK – Passcode: 377737
Mobile Dial-in:
US: +14086380968,,85271404380#,,,,*377737# or +16699006833,,85271404380#,,,,*377737#