Alum Rock district superintendent recommends closure of 7 schools

SAN JOSE, Calif. - The Alum Rock Union Elementary School District in East San Jose will need to close multiple schools and consolidate two to avoid bankruptcy, according to a memorandum from the superintendent.

Superintendent German Cerda announced Monday evening his proposal for the closure of Aptitud Community Academy at Goss, Donald J. Meyer Elementary, Horace Cureton Elementary School , Joseph George Middle School, Lyndale Elementary School, Renaissance Academy at Fischer, and Sylvia Cassell Elementary School.

Cerda also recommended the merging of LUCHA Academy and Painter Elementary School.

The district is holding several town hall meetings to answer questions and get community input ahead of the final decision.

This has been a months-long process. 

Last week, a committee recommended 13 schools for closure, though the superintendent whittled that number down a bit.

The board is set to determine which schools to close on Dec. 2.

Based on that vote, students and staff will start to transition to other locations beginning in January.

School closures will take effect at the start of the school year in August.

With 22 schools currently in the district, the removal of seven would significantly impact students and their families.

Declining enrollment and the expiration of COVID-19 relief funding have forced the district to consider closures and consolidations.

The district said it had 16,000 students in the early 2000s and this year it has 7,300.

This is due to students moving to charter schools, families leaving the area and lower birth rates, officials said. 

The district, facing a projected $20 million deficit, warns it faces bankruptcy by the end of the school year without significant changes.

Closing, consolidating and merging schools is occurring throughout the Bay Area. 

Oakland and San Francisco are talking about closing schools as well, where these districts have too many schools and not enough students.