District approves new mathematics textbooks that align with Common Core standards for use this fall

New mathematics textbooks aligned with Common Core curriculum standards will be purchased for kindergarten through 12^th grade students in the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District this fall. Approval came on a 5-0 vote at this month's trustee meeting.

Up to $4.4 million will be spent on the texts from publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt after a pilot program that involved books from three publishers used by more than 140 teachers, as overseen by Joey Davis, Cary Johnson and Dorie Staack, directors for educational services.

In a report to trustees, the directors noted that pilot teachers received training from the publishers, and articulation meetings by and across grade levels were held during the semester-long pilot period.

“In January, the pilot teachers were surveyed to determine their preference and concerns with materials from each publisher. At a follow-up meeting, these results were reviewed and each group was able to reach consensus,” selecting Houghton Mifflin for all grade levels, the directors reported.

The text series “California Math Expressions” for K-5 and “Big Ideas Math” for 6-12 also were approved by the district's Math Steering Committee and Curriculum Council before a state-required 30-day public display period.

Superintendent Doug Domene told me training will be provided throughout spring and summer to acquaint teachers with the new textbooks. He added, “We are in the second year of implementing the new standards.”

Also approved was a 30-day public display of a new pre-calculus text before adoption. “The current book is from 1988, and the course has been revised significantly from Trigonometry /Math Analysis to Pre-Calculus,” and “it is impossible to purchase additional copies” of the present text, noted Davis, student assessment and accountability director.

Two other interesting school-related items:

--”Carefully screened” and supervised nursing students will be placed on district campuses under agreements approved with California State University, Fullerton, and Biola University.

The former is a three-year pact for a clinical training program for future school nurses, while the latter is a five-year accord providing future nurses knowledge of children's health issues, both at no cost to the district.

--Advanced Placement testing begins at high schools May 4. Students earning a 3 or higher on a 5-point scale earn college credit for coursework at many universities.

Last year 3,527 tests were administered with a district pass rate of 84 percent. Individual school results: 82 percent on 607 tests at El Dorado, 80 percent on 516 tests at Esperanza, 86 percent on 1,016 tests at Yorba Linda and 87 percent on 1,388 tests at Valencia.

Also on tap is International Baccalaureate testing at Valencia. Last year's pass rate (4 or higher on a 7-point scale to earn university credit) was 93 percent on 305 tests administered. 

City Council states intent to stop general fund subsidies for deficit landscape zones if vote is scheduled under Proposition 218 regulations

Among the critical issues facing Yorba Linda are a few associated with the Landscape Maintenance Assessment District, including expensive water use, aging infrastructure and an increasing reliance on the city's general fund to cover deficits in several special benefit zones.

Two actions regarding the district were taken at a recent City Council meeting – one routine       on a 5-0 vote and one with far-reaching implications on a 4-1 vote (Craig Young dissenting).

The routine vote initiated the process to levy 2015-16 assessments for 43 benefit zones: 29 for local landscaping, nine for arterial (major street) landscaping, three for traffic signals, one for arterial street lighting and one for local street lighting, all to be collected with property taxes.

Assessments on single-family homes this fiscal year ranged from $45.70 to $473.50 for local landscaping for about half of the city's parcels, plus $52.21 for arterial landscaping, $1.38 for arterial lighting, $17.85 for local lighting on most parcels and $3.13 to $7.62 for traffic signals.

The second vote stated an intent to stop general fund subsidies for zones with expenses exceeding revenue from assessments and the city's “general benefit” contribution, if a vote on increasing assessments is scheduled.

Added general fund contributions were required in 11 of the 33 zones in existence in the 2013-14 fiscal year, according to a report by Mike Wolfe, director of public works.

“One of the potential solutions to these deficit zones would be a successful Proposition 218 vote,” Wolfe stated, noting “a general concern” that without “negative consequences” for a failed vote, “there is no incentive for residents to vote to increase their own assessments.”

Approved by state voters in 1996, the proposition requires a majority of property owners to approve assessments local governments have been using to boost revenue after Proposition 13 limited property taxes in 1978.

A mail ballot of the city's property owners in 1997 resulted in 83 percent approval for the district's assessment rates, plus an annual consumer price index adjustment, but a modest arterial landscape hike drew a 75 percent “no” vote in 2008.

The district maintains more than 580 acres of irrigated landscaped area, according to a November 2014 report from Wolfe. He noted the major increase in expenses has been for water, which totals, on average the past six years, some 550,000 billing units (411.4 million gallons).

Water costs have added $500,000 to expenses since 2008-09, due mainly to a palette of high-water use landscaping installed 20 to 30 years ago, Wolfe noted, also pointing to irrigation systems “outdated and inefficient compared to systems today.”

And changing to a drought-tolerant palette would add capital costs for plants and a “significantly different” irrigation system “often times higher in life-cycle maintenance costs.”  

Church, developer interested in city property

Two interesting proposals for the city-owned Bastanchury Road property once planned for Friends Christian High School are among responses submitted to city officials after a “request for interest” was issued for the 40 acres between Casa Loma and Eureka avenues.

Letters of interest were submitted by Brian Moore, pastor of the nearly 1,000-member Crosspointe Church, for a northern portion of the site and Ryan Aeh, a vice president for developer City Ventures, for a southern section to build about 20 estate-sized homes.

The proposals were mentioned in a city-commissioned Urban Land Institute report outlining alternatives for the site that included mixed uses such as dog and skate parks, soccer fields and an equestrian center, as noted in last week's column (see at ocregister.com/yorbalinda).

Both ventures would appear to be financially feasible, unlike the Friends Christian project for a 1,200-student high school hindered by expenses associated with land preparation and escalating lease payments to the city for about 32 acres of the property.

Moore, pastor since 2006 of the church on Yorba Linda Boulevard between Avocado Avenue and Ohio Street, told me his plan would be a “win-win” for the city and the growing church, since the 800-1,000-seat sanctuary would be available for performing arts and community events.

Moore's letter to the city stated the church would prefer to buy the property based on an appraisal of the land's value with the current deed restrictions but also would be willing to lease the property for 99 years at 6.5 percent of appraised value with annual 2.5 percent increases.

“Crosspointe can provide proof of funds showing significant cash reserves” and “demonstrate ability to perform financial obligations in a lease scenario,” Moore noted in his letter to the city. He stated the church could pay cash by placing debt on the current facility worth $7 million.

Church plans center on the north or “tank farm” portion bordering Lakeview Avenue and part of the central “main” site, both deed-restricted for public uses, and include an initial facility of about 50,000-square feet with future expansion to some 100,000-square feet.

Moore also told me the church would pay for a parking lot to be shared with nearby Lakeview Elementary School and for city recreational uses. His proposal to the city includes a lot with about 600 spaces.

The City Ventures proposal is for the southern 13.5-acre “base” site fronting Bastanchury Road that's not deed-restricted and is currently zoned “residential estate,” a category that requires a minimum 15,000-square-foot lot size and a maximum density of 1.8 units per acre.

The developer outlines a subdivision of about 20 lots for market-rate, single-family detached homes, according to the letter to the city from Aeh, vice president of land acquisitions. An offer to pay the city $16.5 million for the property is included in the letter. 

Recreation uses suggested for city-owned site

An assortment of long-sought sports, recreational and other public amenities has been suggested for one of the largest-remaining, vacant city-owned sites, the land on west Bastanchury Road once planned for a 1,200-student Friends Christian High School.

The suggestions are in a report commissioned by the city from the Urban Land Institute and discussed briefly at a recent City Council session before a unanimous “receive and file” vote.

Among ideas proffered in the report are dog and skate parks, soccer fields and an equestrian center, with construction financed by selling a portion of the 40-acres for residential development. However, the report did not address funding for ongoing maintenance of public areas.

And, importantly, three council members indicated the site is not high priority, falling behind Town Center development and decisions regarding a potential new library and possible actions on the proposed 452 Esperanza Hills-Cielo Vista homes just north of the city limits.

The city is obtaining appraisals on the three properties comprising the 40.5 acres on the north side of Bastanchury Road between Casa Loma and Eureka avenues: the 13.5-acre southern “base” site, the 19.37-acre middle “main” site and the 7.63-acre northern “tank farm” site.

Only the “base” site, currently zoned residential estate with an oil overlay, is without development restrictions. The “main” and “tank farm” sites, now zoned planned development, have deed restrictions from seller Shell-Western allowing public uses but no housing.

Concepts developed for the entire site took into consideration more than 180 email and regular mail responses the city received last year after a public input request and more formal replies to “requests for interests” conducted by the city, also last year.

The responses suggested 38 different uses, including such non-starters as cemetery, lake, bowling alley, medieval village, water park, western-theme park and a villas-hotel complex.

Most-mentioned ideas were compiled for a top 10 list: children's park, church, community events, dog park, equestrian, homes, library, skate park, sports complex and tennis courts.

Current “base” site zoning would allow 24 homes at 1.8 units-per-acre, with the city realizing a potential $15.2 million for the land. Other options: 35 homes at 2.6 units-per-acre for $17.1 million and 47 homes at 3.5 units-per-acre for $20 million.

The report presented three concepts for the site:

--Two soccer fields, playground, dog park, skate park, community building, restroom, amphitheater and five-acre equestrian center costing $17.4 million.

--One soccer field, playground, four tennis courts, dog park, skate park, picnic area and eight-acre equestrian center at $15.4 million.

--Traditional park, playground, two soccer fields, one artificial turf soccer field with stadium seating, restroom, skate park and 10-acre equestrian center at $16.4 million.