Alameda Unified School District

Alameda Unified School District
Location
Alameda California United States
District information
Motto	"Excellence & Equality for All Students"
Grades	K - 12
Established	1964
Superintendent	Sean McPhetridge
Students and staff
Students	9,300
Teachers	540
Other information
Website	alameda.k12.ca.us

The Alameda Unified School District serves the city of Alameda, California USA.

The school district is a "unified" district (in 1936), meaning that it includes K-8 schools and high schools in the same jurisdiction. As with all California school districts, it is not a part of the city government of Alameda. The school board is elected separately from the Alameda city council, and has been since April 1969. The city council has no direct power over the school board.

The AUSD educates approximately 9,300 students each year, in 10 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 4 high schools. The district also operates an Adult School and a "Child Development Center". Three elementary schools were closed and consolidated at the end of the 2005-2006 school year. Miller Elementary, Woodstock Elementary and Longfellow Elementary students went to Ruby Bridges Elementary.

In 2009, the District received significant media attention for controversy surrounding an anti-bullying curriculum approved by the Board of Trustees, known as "Lesson 9", which focused on reducing bullying against LGBT students. The curriculum sparked two lawsuits, which were subsequently dismissed.

Schools in this district

Adult schools

• Alameda Adult School

High schools

• Alameda High School
• Alameda Science and Technology Institute
• Alameda Community Learning Center (Charter school 6-12)
• Encinal High School (In 2013, Junior Jets program started for grades 6-8)
• Island High School (Continuation school)

Middle schools

• Lincoln Middle School
• The Academy of Alameda (Charter school; formerly Chipman Middle School)
• Will C. Wood Middle School

Elementary schools

• Amelia Earhart Elementary School
• Bay Farm Elementary School (In 2012, Board of Education approved adding grades 6-8).
• Donald D. Lum Elementary School
• Edison Elementary School
• Frank Otis Elementary School
• Franklin Elementary School
• Henry Haight Elementary School
• William Paden Elementary School
• Ruby Bridges Elementary School
• Maya Lin School (formerly Washington Elementary)

Other/ Preschool

• Woodstock Child Development Center

History of Alameda Schools

1855 Schermerhorn School located on west side of Court, between Van Buren and Jackson Street.

• 1864 Alameda School replaces Schermerhorn School.
• 1892 Wilson School replaced Alameda School with an eight-classroom school.
• 1911 Name changed from Wilson School to Lincoln.
• 1917 The Lincoln School is rebuilt.

1860 Encinal School Located on Lincoln Avenue between Stanton and Paru Streets.

• 1865 A two-room building erected on the northwest corner of Bay Street and Santa Clara. This structure replaces Encinal School on Lincoln.
• 1891 A new eight-room building was opened.
• 1901 Name changed from Encinal to Mastick School.
• 1939 New structure replaces 1891 structure.
• 1979 K-4 Elementary is closed.
• 1980 School is closed and the city is operated by city under a 20-year lease.
• 2000 In a land swap deal with AUSD, City assumes ownership and for the ongoing operation of Mastick Senior Center.

1874 Boehmer's Hall. A rented room on Park Street used a temporary quarters for high school.

1875 Park Street School was closed in 1879 with the opening of Porter School.

1875 Haight School Located at Santa Clara and Chestnut as combination elementary and high school.

• 1900 High school classes moved from Haight School to Porter School.
• 1911 A new fire-resistant school is built to replace the 1875 structure.
• 1973 School is demolished.
• 1975 Haight School is rebuilt and opened in 1976.
• 2006 Haight School is closed for one year to make seismic upgrades.

1875 West End School Located at Fifth and Pacific.

• 1895 Name changed to Longfellow School. A ten classroom replaces 1875 structure.
• 1942 A new structure replaces the 1895 structure.
• 1951 Ten new classrooms are added. Also added a multi-purpose room.
• 2006 School is closed.
• 2009 Nea Charter School moves onto the site.
• 2011 Woodstock Child Development Center is relocated to the site.
• 2014 Island High School is relocated to the site.

1879 Porter School Located on Alameda Avenue near oak Street.

• 1916 A new structure replaces the 1879 structure.
• 1973 Fire destroys the school.

1882 Bay Farm Island School Rented building on Bay Farm Island.

• 1890 School is closed and student bussed to schools on the East End.
• 1961 Three buses were transporting 194 students to Alameda from Bay Farm.

1891 Everett School Located at the corner of Eagle Avenue and Everett Street.

• 1971 Old school is demolished and Island High is opened with four portables.
• 2006 Island High is relocated to the George Miller Elementary School site.
• 2014 The Board of Education approved a land swap that this property to Alameda Housing Authority.

1902 Alameda High School Located at 2200 Central Ave. near Walnut Street.

• 1926 New building replaces the 1902 structure.
• 1977 The historical building on Central is closed to students. The new building on the corner of Encinal and Walnut opens.
• 1991 The East Wing of Central building is renovated to meet Field Act standards and students begin using classrooms.
• 2012 AUSD closes the Adult School and administration offices in the East Wing and relocates to administrative offices to leased space at 2060 Challenger Drive. Adult School relocates to Woodstock School site.

1909 Washington School Located at Eight and Santa Clara Avenue.

• 1957 New building replaces the 1909 structure.
• 2012 Washington Elementary renamed Maya Lin School. Becomes an arts magnet school.

1926 Versailles School Bounded by Versailles, Lincoln, Pearl, and Buena Vista.

• 1942 New building replaces 1926 structures and is renamed Edison School.

1927 Franklin School Located at Franklin Park, housed in a reconstructed cottage.

• 1930 Mr. Sadler's home is purchased and remodeled for a school and renamed Sadler School.
• 1951 New structure replaces the 1930 structure and renamed to Franklin School.
• 1984 School is closed
• 1994 School is reopened.

1944 Webster School Located in the Webster Housing Project.

• 1958 School is closed.

1944 John Muir School Located in the Estuary Housing Project.

• 196x School is closed.

1946 Encinal School Located in the Encinal Housing Project.

• 1953 School renamed to Burbank School.
• 1955 School is closed.

1951 Woodstock School Located at 1900 Third Street, near Atlantic Avenue.

• 2006 School is closed.
• 2006 Site is temporarily used as location of Haight School while the actual Haight School is under renovation.
• 2007 New site of Bay Area School of Enterprise (BASE)
• 2011 Island High School is relocated from George Miller school site.
• 2012 Alameda Adult School relocated to this site from Alameda High site (2200 Central Ave.)
• 2014 Nea charter school, both Upper Village (6-12) and Lower Village (K-5) relocated to the site.
• 2014 ACLC charter school (6-12) relocated to the site.

1951 Frank Otis School Located on Fillmore Street.

1952 Encinal High School Located at 210 Central Avenue.

1955 William Paden School Located at 444 Central Avenue.

• 1984 Closed an elementary school.
• 1992 Reopened as an elementary school. Eventually changed to K-8.
• 2006 Grades 6-8 are closed.

1961 Donald Lum School Located at Otis Street and Sandcreek Avenue.

1965 Will C Wood Middle School Located at 420 Grand Street.

• 2013 Charter school ACLC relocated to Wood School campus, using a portion of the campus.

1977 Lincoln Middle School Located on Fernside and San Jose.

1977 George Miller Elementary School Located at 250 Singleton.

• 2006 School closed
• 2008 Island High School moved onto the campus.
• 2011 Site abandoned by school district as infrastructure upgrades were cost prohibitive.

1979 Amelia Earhart Elementary School Located at 400 Packet Landing

1992 Bay Farm Elementary School Located at 200 Aughinbaugh.

2006 Ruby Bridges Elementary Located 351 Jack London Ave.

Alameda Board of Education

Listed is the current board (as of 2014) and their terms:

• Barbara Kahn, President, President, 2012-2016
• Solana Henneberry, Vice-President, 2014-2018
• Gary Lym, Board Clerk, 2014-2018
• Niel Tam, Trustee, 2008-2016 (died Spring 2015)
• Philip Hu, Trustee, 2015-2016 (Appointed February, 2015)

Listed are former Trustees:

• Trish Herrera Spencer, 2008-2014 (Elected Mayor in 2014)
• Margie Sherratt, 2010-2014
• Mike McMahon, 2002-2014
• Ron Mooney, 2008-2012
• Tracy Jensen, 2003–2010
• Bill Schaff, 2005–2008
• David Forbes, 2005–2008
• Janet Gibson 2001-2008
• Bob Reeves, 2001–2004
• Barbara Guenther, 1997–2004
• Anna Elefant, 1995–2002
• Berresford Bingham, 1995–2002
• Larry Spencer, 1997–2000
• Gail Greely, 1993–2000
• Marge Rose 1991-1994
• Sam Huie, Appointed 1985-1995
• Bill Garvine 1989-1992
• Barbara Rasmussen 1989-1992
• Sandra Moser 1981-1987
• Donald MacDowell 1987-1992
• Gig Codiga 1983-1991
• William Manning Appointed 1982 - Resigned 1985
• William Paden 1981-1986
• Richard Thomas 1981-1989
• Donald Cummins 1979- Resigned 1982
• Elaine Kurlisnki 1977-1981
• William Hargraves Jr. 1977-1981
• Barbara Borden 1975-1983
• Lois Hanna 1977-1981
• Ann Muir 1975-1979
• Robert Selmer 1974-1975
• Ian Weber 1973-1977
• Lee Simpson 1971-1974
• James Nolin 1969-1977
• Joyce Denyven 1969-1977
• Hebert Robles 1969-1971
• Marion Cavanaugh 1968-1972
• Richard Bartalini 1965-1972
• Frank Weeden 1963-1969
• Jack Lubbock 1961-1968
• C.D. Ramsden 1961-1968
• Lee Cavanaugh 1953-1968
• Stuart Stephens M.D. 1953-1961
• Marion Rosefield 1951-1953
• Walter Howe 1951-1962
• R.E. Bossard 1949-1951
• Harry Pennell 1949-1952
• A.H Moffit, Jr. 1946-1964
• M.C. Godfrey 1946-1951
• Dr. Donald Lum 1944-1963
• William Hutchings 1944-1948
• R.E. Bosshard 1944-1948
• Dr. Alice Burke 1942-1946

In 1872 Alameda incorporated three communities into the city of Alameda, creating one school board. The city council appointed school board members until 1969. In 2004, 57% of Alameda voters removed all references to Board of Education from City Charter, effectively eliminating term limits for School Board members.

• C.L. Fitch(Encinal School District) 1860
• Louis Fassking(Encinal School District) 1860
• J.D Brower(Encinal School District) 1860
• James Millington (Alameda Township) 1855
• E.M Taft(Alameda Township) 1855
• James Stratton(Alameda Township)1855

Listed are Superintendents:

• Sean McPhetridge 2014-Current
• Kirsten Vital 2009-2014
• Ardella Dailey 2005-2008
• Alan Nishino 2000-2005
• Dennis Chaconas 1992-2000
• John Searles 198x-1992
• Clarence Cline 197x-198x
• Robert McConnell 1971-197x
• Donald Roderick 196x-1970

Bond/Parcel Measures

Tax Bonds

The first school bond measure was passed 1874 and build the city's first high school and the main grammar school located on Chestnut and Santa Clara. In addition, the 1874 bond purchased property at Fifth and Pacific Ave and a school opened in 1875. In 1878 the next bond measure was used to purchase six lots on the south side of Alameda Avenue between Oak and Walnut. Porter School opened 1879. Additional bonds were issued 1894 to build four new schools. In 1901 high school students campaigned vigorously to get a bond measure to build a new $65,000 high school. Bonds elections in 1907, 1909 and 1915 funded the most ambitious building campaign. Three old schools were replaced with new structures and one new school was built. Voters passed a $750,000 bond in 1923 (supplemented with an additional $350,000 in 1925). As a result, construction of Alameda High School started in November 1924 and opened in August 1926.

In 1933, the Field Act was passed after an earthquake severely damaged schools in Long Beach. While Federal funds were used rehabilitate some existing schools to comply with the Field Act, a $222,000 bond was passed in 1940. With World War II, Alameda population exploded from 38,000 to 90,000. The federal government built three inexpensive grammar schools to serve children living in federal housing projects that housed the workers for the Naval Air station and shipbuilding yards.

In 1940s, the baby boom was underway with 15,000 Alameda babies being born. In 1948, a $2,840,000 bond measure was passed. The lion share of bond was used to buy land and build Encinal High School. 1n 1951 a survey showed 45 percent of children enrolled in Alameda schools had parents living or working on federally related properties. As a result, the school district received $2,250,000 from the federal government for school construction between 1951 to 1955. In 1953 $3,000,000 in bonds was approved. During the 1950s federal grants and bond revenues totaled $8,500,000.

In 1960s saw a frenzy of demolition and apartment construction in old Alameda and building out of South Shore led to an all-time enrollment high of 12,500 students. In 1967 AB450 required school districts to bring their pre-1933 schools up to structural standards of the 1933 Field Act by 1983 (the deadline was moved up to 1975 the following year). Inspection of Alameda's four pre-1933 schools (Haight, Porter, Lincoln and Alameda High) were ruled unsafe.

In 1964 a $4 million bond issue barely passed. Voters rejected bond measures in 1968, 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976. During the 1970s the school district had to borrow monies from the state for school construction.

In 1989 a $47.7 million bond issue was passed, that originally cost taxpayers $103 for every $100,000 in property value. That amount declined to $59 per $100,000 in assessed value. This tax was originally set to sunset in 2014, but was instead kept in place to pay for a subsequent bond issue in 2004.

In 2004 a $63 million bond issue, Measure C, was approved by voters,. The measure refinanced the existing 1989 bond along with the new $63 million bond issue. The net effect was to keep taxpayer payments at $59 per $100,000 but extend the time from 2014 to 2034. The school district said on the ballot measure statement that it expected to qualify for over $17 million in state matching funds if the measure was approved. The district received about $14.8 million in State matching funds. As of the fall of 2013, Alameda residents could see the tax on their property tax bill as ‘Voter Approved Debt Service – School Unified.’

In 2014, Measure H, a $179 million bond issue, was approved by voters.

General Parcel Taxes

A four-year, $50 parcel tax (Measure A) failed in 1997. The election was on June 3, and the measure garnered only 57.5% of the vote, falling short of the two-third's supermajority required to pass.

In 2001, a five-year $109 per parcel tax (Measure A) was approved by voters.

In 2005, the parcel tax from 2001 (Measure A) was increased to $189 and extended for seven years.

In 2008, a four-year parcel tax (Measure H) was passed. The residential parcel rate was $120 and commercial rate was 15 cents per square foot, minimum of $120 and maximum of $9,500. Two lawsuits were filed challenging the legality of Measure H. Both parcel taxes, Measure A and Measure H, were set to expire in 2012.

In 2010, Measure E, which would have replaced Measures A and H with a new tax, and increased the rate from $309/yr to $659/year for a residential parcel, received 65.6% of the vote, falling short of the 2/3 approval required to pass.

Following the failure of Measure E in 2010, AUSD placed a new ballot measure, Measure A, on the ballot for March 8, 2011. The measure as proposed would tax parcels at a nominal rate of 32 cents per building square foot, with a maximum tax of $7,999/year. Parcels with no building improvements would pay a minimum $299/year. The measure passed with a 68% approval.

In 2013, the California Supreme Court held that a prior lower court ruling would stand, a ruling that upheld a portion of the Borikas lawsuit over Measure H, declaring that the school district could not set different tax rates for commercial and residential property, and setting the stage for a refund of millions of dollars of commercial property taxes collected under measure H.

Lawsuits

• Nelco, Inc. v. Alameda Unified School District, Alameda County Superior Court, #RG 08-405984 (Measure A) Superior Court ruled in AUSD favor, September 2011. No appeal moving forward.
• Borikas v. Alameda Unified School Dist., 214 Cal. App. 4th 135, 154 Cal. Rptr. 3d 186 (Ct. App. 2013). Alameda County Superior Court, VG08-405316 (Measure H) Superior Court ruled in AUSD favor, June 2010. California Court of Appeal overturned part of the ruling, and remanded to lower court to determine remedies, December, 2012.
• Beery et al. v. Alameda Unified School District, Alameda County Superior Court, RG08-405984 (Measure H) Case consolidated with Borikas case
• Cook, Dietrich v. Alameda Unified School District, Alameda County Superior Court, RG10-498999 (Alleged open meeting violation pertaining to Lesson 9) Dismissed by judge
• Balde v. Alameda Unified School District, Alameda County Superior Court, RG09-468037 (Lesson 9)Judge rules in AUSD favor, November 2009

External links

• Alameda Unified School District
• API Test scores for schools in Alameda USD
• Alameda Education Foundation
• Trustee McMahon's Website
• Ed-Data website report on Alameda Unified School District
• Dropouts by grade, ethnicity
• Alameda City Unified School District Schools Test scores, parent review, school ratings and teacher / student stats for schools in Alameda City Unified School District.
• Wiki for AUSD