Placentia-Yorba Linda school district opposes California Republic Leadership Academy charter, proposes computer science charter; superintendent vows fentanyl fight

 

Several noteworthy actions by officials in the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District regarding charter school proposals and fentanyl crisis awareness merit attention this week.

Superintendent Alex Cherniss and trustee Vice President Leandra Blades spoke in opposition to the charter school petition by the California Republic Leadership Academy Yorba Linda at a public hearing before the Orange County Board of Education Oct.4.

The county board is considering an appeal of the Placentia-Yorba Linda district's denial of a petition to operate a kindergarten through eighth grade charter school in the district on a 5-0 vote at a meeting in August.

According to the county board's 20-page policy on charter schools, the five county trustees have 30 days from the public hearing to grant or deny the petition, unless trustees and petitioner agree to extend the time period for another 30 days.

The next two county board meetings are Nov. 1 and Dec. 6 at the education department office in Costa Mesa. If the county's board does not grant or deny the petition during that time period, the petitioner can appeal to the state board of education.

Speaking in support of the appeal were the charter's Executive Director Gary Davis and several parents who hope to send their children to the charter school, which plans to provide a classical leadership education.

Previously, county trustees approved a California Republic Leadership Academy charter in the Capistrano Unified School District for kindergarten through eighth grade students that planned a “curriculum, culture and purpose based on the classical liberal arts tradition.”

Cherniss and Blades told county trustees the California Republic charter plan was “not right” for district students and the district plans a “better option” charter with an Orange County School of Computer Science.

The Placentia-Yorba Linda district's “better option” is expected to be approved soon, perhaps at a Nov. 14 meeting. A public hearing to gauge support for the charter was held Oct. 10, with the presentation of an 83-page petition by Bernardo Yorba Middle School Principal Beth Fisher.

The petition proposes an in-depth computer science program for up to 1,000 seventh and eighth grade students that will start on Aug. 27 for the 2024-25 school year for an initial five-year period.

Cherniss addressed the fentanyl crisis in a recent online message that the district is taking “immediate proactive measures to make sure our kids do not fall victim to this dangerous drug that has infested our communities.”

In addition to “red ribbon” assemblies for high school students, the district plans presentations to parents and families through the Parent University program, led by Placentia police officers and county Sheriff's deputies.

And doses of Narcan, which can reverse opioid overdoses, are available at all school sites, with more than 250 employees trained in administration.

Placentia-Yorba Linda students increase pass rate, number of Advanced Placement exams taken; Valencia High School again tops county with number of International Baccalaureate graduates

 

Advanced Placement students at the four comprehensive high schools in the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District completed another stellar year, with a significant increase in both the pass rate and the number of examinations administered.

And 63 seniors who earned the International Baccalaureate diploma at Valencia High School exceeded the number from the county's other IB high schools, a record held for seven years.

Passing scores – three or higher on a five-point scale for AP and four or higher on a seven-point scale for IB – can earn university credit and allow students to bypass introductory courses. Decisions on credits and placement are made by individual universities.

A total of 4,493 AP examinations were administered during the annual May testing period to freshman through senior students at El Dorado, Esperanza, Valencia and Yorba Linda high schools, a nearly 7% increase over last year. The already high pass rate increased by 2%.

Here's how each high school scored on the AP tests, according to district-provided data:

El Dorado administered 1,156 exams in 25 subjects for an 84% pass rate, up from 1,008 exams in 22 subjects for a 77% pass rate last year.

Esperanza administered 565 exams in 22 subjects for an 83% pass rate, up from 548 exams in 20 subjects for a 78% pass rate last year.

Valencia administered 1,557 exams in 29 subjects for an 86% pass rate, up from 1,473 exams in 24 subjects for an 87% pass rate last year.

Yorba Linda administered 1,215 exams in 26 subjects for an 88% pass rate, up from 1,083 exams in 27 subjects for an 88% pass rate last year.

Interestingly, AP Chinese language is now offered at each high school, and the pass rate for the 51 students who took the exam this year was 100%. And the number of chemistry exams administered jumped nearly 75% to 229 with a 98% pass rate.

The IB program at Valencia administered 412 exams in 19 subjects with a 93% pass rate. Currently, 65 seniors and 95 juniors are enrolled in IB, according to Fred Jenkins, IB coordinator.

Scores on 13 of the exams were significantly higher than world averages, including economics, computer science, psychology, biology and history, ranging from 18% to 75% higher.

The Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education diploma, offered at Valencia since 2021, represents “breadth across the curriculum and depth in selected subjects, with a balance of maths and sciences, languages and arts and humanities,” according to program criteria..

This year, the number of exams given increased by 122%, from 46 to 102; the pass rate increased by 9%, from 71% to 80%; and the number of 10^th through 12^th grade students taking an exam increased by 70%, from 44 to 75.