Oak Park parents protest possible open enrollment
By Michael Picarella
Acorn Staff Writer

Some parents in Oak Park are exercising their First Amendment rights by protesting via Internet the concept of outside students enrolling in Oak Park elementary schools. But the school district hasn’t even made such a commitment, according to a high ranking administrator.

Oak Park schools have stabilized in size over the past few years. Every November, California districts are required to predict the number of students that will enroll the following year. Oak Park Unified School District (OPUSD) administrators projected that next fall’s enrollment will increase by only 15 students.

California gives funding to school districts based on enrollment. More students are needed to get more money. Recent press reports have speculated that OPUSD will invite outside students into its elementary schools. Existing campuses can apparently accommodate more children.

Some Oak Park parents are angry and disappointed and a Website has been created for the sole purpose of allowing parents to read other citizens’ opinions and share their own feelings.

Entries on the Website are numerous and the overwhelming majority opposes any attempt to open enrollment to out of community students.

Jackie and Joseph Fienberg are parents of two Brookside Elementary students, and they strongly believe that opening the OPUSD boundaries will negatively effect both their children. They pay high property taxes, they said, to help the district in which they live and they support small class sizes.

Regina Pahn doesn’t believe the low 15-student increase to be accurate for next year’s enrollment increase and mentions 100 homes being built in the Chambourd development.

Ria Levine thinks that smaller classes are ideal for teaching. She mentioned that every year school officials complained about inadequate books, microscopes, computers, supplies, sports equipment, etc. and now they’re complaining, she said, about not having enough students.

Jean Keaster asks why Oak Park residents should pay higher taxes for a school district in which kids from outside areas couldn’t otherwise attend. She also feels that out-of-district transfers might create an "us vs. them" mentality.

Teri Geneslaw said she’ll enroll her fourth grade daughter in a private school if open enrollment occurs. She believes that Oak Park schools will be no better than those in Los Angeles as a result.

Lisa Pool is a teacher at Byrd Middle School in Los Angeles Unified School District and has experienced similar transfers. "It’s not uncommon for school districts to open enrollment," said Pool. She’s curious why people believe that kids from other districts will hurt Oak Park’s children.

"We have some of the best teachers," said Bob Fraser, assistant superintendent of OPUSD. He explained a program in Oak Park in which veteran teachers help new ones for two years to enhance the newcomers’ abilities. "We do a good job," said Fraser.

But Fraser is uncertain that OPUSD will actually open its enrollment.

"The L.A. Times was premature when they printed that article," said Fraser. He mentioned that the 15-student increase was indeed a guess and said it was projected merely to meet a state requirement.

The enrollment debate will go before OPUSD’s board of education after the first of the year.

When asked what the solution will be if Oak Park schools become too crowded due to an open enrollment, Fraser answered, "Discussions have to go on now before that happens." Much of the work, he said, is now occurring.

"We must first serve the needs of the student," Fraser said.

To visit the Oak Park Open Enrollment Website, go to http://www.91377.com