By Amy Bounds
Camera Staff Writer

LOUISVILLE — Parents urged the Boulder Valley School District not to set up a fight among charter schools, focus schools and neighborhood schools at a forum Tuesday on school building use.

The forum, attended by about 20 parents, was the first of five community presentations on the topic. The district presented data on enrollment, demographics and school capacity that was gathered by a facilities committee comprised of parents, residents and district officials.

Community meeting schedule Following is the schedule of upcoming community meetings about the facilities committee data. All meetings run from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday — Base Line Middle School, 700 20th St. Boulder May 29 — Nederland Middle/Senior High, 597 Eldora Road, Nederland May 30 — Broomfield Heights Middle School, 1555 Daphne St., Broomfield June 4 — Centaurus High School, 10300 South Boulder Road, Lafayette

"I don't want it to become divisive," said Louisville Elementary School parent Kathy Valentine. "We need to embrace everybody."

The school board charged the facilities committee with finding ways to address changes in the school district, which include declining enrollment in non-charter schools and more students who need special programs, such as English as a second language.

Generally, the data show that the number of students in the district has stayed about the same over the last decade, but the number of school choices has increased. The result is excess capacity at some schools — which means less efficiency, but more opportunities to add programs and reduce class sizes.

"We can't continue on the path we're on now," said district spokeswoman Janelle Albertson. "We can't afford it."

Driving the need to address school building use is $2.5 million in cuts required to balance the budget — despite an influx of money from Amendment 23, a school funding initiative approved by voters in 2000.

"Where is Amendment 23 money?" asked Connie Ostwald, a Louisville Elementary School parent. "Why are we in such dire straits?"

School district officials blame part of the budget crunch on charter schools, saying charter schools are growing and pulling money out of neighborhood and focus schools.

Also, open enrollment to both charter and focus schools is contributing to declines in enrollment in some neighborhood schools.

But district planning director Don Orr said Tuesday that open enrollment allows the district to attract students from private schools or other school districts — and the state funding that comes with those students. Choice also means the district hasn't needed to build schools in some growing areas, such as north Boulder.

Another conclusion drawn from the data is that minority and poor students are becoming concentrated in a small number of schools, while charter schools this year became less diverse.

Some parents said Tuesday they think it's not fair for the district to blame charter schools and open enrollment for budget problems.

"It's really important to separate cause and effect," said High Peaks Elementary parent Barb Kostanick.

She said one reason some charter and focus schools have fewer Hispanic students than the district average is the district buses students who need English as a second language services to neighborhood "center" schools.

The committee plans to analyze the community feedback this summer and develop options to address some of the problems. The community then would have a chance to comment on those options in the fall before they're presented to the school board for consideration in November.

For more information, go to www.bvsd.k12.co.us/facilities/facilitiesindex.asp.

Contact Amy Bounds at boundsa@thedailycamera.com or (303) 473-1341.

May 22, 2002

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