Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District surveys stakeholders on earlier start date; trustees vote on new superintendent, annual salary

 

Results of a stakeholder survey have encouraged Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District officials to continue mapping plans for a two-week earlier start of the school year.

This school year, the district's 34 campuses enrolling some 23,000 students started Aug. 30, later than Brea-Olinda and the county's 10 other unified school districts, with start dates from Aug. 15 to Aug. 22. Anaheim and Fullerton high school start dates were Aug. 10 and Aug. 15.

According to the survey, 68.4% of the respondents favored a one- or two-week earlier start date, with 48.6% favoring a two-week earlier start implemented over a two-year period and 19.8% favoring a one-week earlier start. Not changing the start date was favored by 31.5%.

The survey garnered 3,868 responses, including 2,346 parents and guardians, 871 employees, 602 students and 49 community members. Trustees reviewed the results at the March meeting.

Each of the groups clearly favored some form of an earlier start date: 65.67% for employees, 67.09% for parents and guardians, 77.07% for students and 77.55% for community members.

Strongest support for moving the start date up two weeks implemented over a two-year period came from community members at 61.22%, followed by students at 56.64%, employees at 48. 56% and parents and guardians at 46.33%.

Breakdown for the 31.5% who didn't favor moving to an earler start: employees at 34.33%, parents and guardians at 32.91%, students at 22.92% and community members at 22.45%.

Transition to an earlier start date would be in the 2024-25 school year.

A decision by trustees is expected by June. At present, trustees appear to prefer a two-year implementation period for a two-week earlier start, one-week earlier in 2024-25 and another week earlier in 2025-26, based on individual comments at recent meetings.

One question up for discussion is how to alleviate a shorter summer vacation during the two potential transition years, with some trustees suggesting a longer winter break, among other possible solutions.

Another survey question asked respondents for the best reasons for an earlier start date. Top reasons: ending the fall semester before winter break, alignment with other districts and more classroom time before Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate testing.

Top reasons for not moving start date: Don't see negatives to current calendar, shorter summer vacation during the transition years and no benefits for elementary and middle school students.

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Trustee vote to hire Alex Cherniss from the 11,200-student Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District to begin as superintendent July 1 was 5-0 but was 4-1 for a $375,000 yearly salary. Marilyn Anderson favored $365,000, 5% over current pay, the same percent recently given four assistant superintendents.

Cherniss told trustees his primary focus will be “to get more kids to meet and exceed grade level standards.”