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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20344 - RESOLUTIONS - 5/15/2002 RESOLUTION NO. 20344 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF ' THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS,CALIFORNIA, OPPOSING THE PROPOSAL TO TRANSFER CERTAIN PALM SPRINGS UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT TERRITORY TO THE DESERT SANDS UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. WHEREAS the residents of the City of Palm Springs are served by the Palm Springs Unified School District (hereinafter"PSUSD"); and WHEREAS in 1992 and 2000, registered voters in PSUSD approved a general obligation bond measure (hereinafter"GO Bond"), by which a tax is assessed against their properties in order to finance construction of schools throughout the PSUSD; and WHEREAS PSUSD is using GO Bond proceeds and other funds to acquire the necessary school sites and to plan and construct school facilities, in accordance with its long range facilities master plan,for a K-8 school and a high school in the eastern portion of the PSUSD, to relieve the overcrowding of existing school sites; and WHEREAS the City of Palm Desert has submitted Resolution No. 01-117 to the Riverside County Board of Education proposing to transferthe Frank Sinatra/Monterey area within the ' PSUSD to the Desert Sands Unified School District (hereinafter"DSUSD"); and WHEREAS Section 35753(a)of the California Education Code sets forth certain criteria which the California State Board of Education must determine,with respect to any proposal and the resulting district,have been substantially met before approving a proposal for reorganization; and WHEREAS Resolution No. 01-117's express and sole intention is to promote the community of the City of Palm Desert rather than to enhance the educational mission of any affected school district; and WHEREAS the Frank Sinatra/Monterey area was the subject of a proposed transfer to the DSUSD in 1994; and WHEREAS the PSUSD and DSUSD reached a tacit agreement in 1994 regarding their mutual boundaries which included an agreement that the Frank Sinatra/Monterey area would remain within PSUSD; and WHEREAS the 1994 boundary realignment was to facilitate effective long-term planning for school facilities within PSUSD and DSUSD and was intended to be the final adjustment of the affected districts' shared boundaries; and a gh Resolution 20344 May 15, 2002 Page Two WHEREAS PSUSD's Evaluation of Compliance as set forth in Resolution No. 01-117 ' concludes that the transfer proposal would negatively impact the students and residents in PSUSD and Palm Springs residents, because seven of nine feasibility criteria of Education Code 35753(a), are not substantially met, as set forth below: • Since the two affected districts are already organized on the basis of a substantial community identity, it is not necessary that there be a transfer to create"coterminous boundaries"between affected cities and school districts; The effect of moving this territory will result in an inequitable division of existing property and facilities of PSUSD because the $38 million redevelopment revenue to be derived from thetransferarea has already been committed for various planned expansion projects for two school sites which were created in part to relieve overcrowded PSUSD area schools: The reorganization will impair PSUSD's ability to provide diverse ethnic mix, reflective of the population within the district boundaries and the Valley, because the students comprising the transfer area are predominantly white, whereas the students making up the majority of PSUSD are at a greater percentage a Hispanic student population; The proposed petition will result in substantial increase in costs to the State ' if the Resolution is granted at its initial hearing because it will set a precedent for similar resolutions from other nearby cities which may seek similar city/school boundary adjustments in Riverside County; • The petition, if approved at its initial hearing, will significantly disrupt the educational programs and long-term masterplan of the PSUSD by(1)causing a multi-year delay in constructing new facilities; (2) contributing to the prolonged over-crowding of existing school sites; (3) imperiling existing and potential magnate school programs, and (4) increasing racial and ethnic segregation; If the petition is approved at its initial hearing, there will be a significant increase in school housing costs because PSUSD will incur additional planning costs for interim facilities to house students while the revised master plan facilities plan is prepared and implemented; further, PSUSD's loss of students from the transfer area will result in the district having to build marginally smaller school facilities at a higher cost per student due to a loss of"economies of scale' • If the petition is approved, it will generate higher property values within the transfer area which is in contravention to the criterion established in Education Code Section 35753(a)(8) which is to ensure against school district ' reorganization as a means for property owners to enhance property values; and .�5�� Resolution 20344 May 15, 2002 Page Three The proposed reorganization will cause a substantial negative effect on the fiscal management/status of PSUSD in that it will lose future pass-through payments from the transfer area which in turn results in an increase in tax rates for all remaining property owners in the district as they will be forced to shoulderthe entire burden of the general obligation bond;further,PSUSD will lose significant"per pupil" operating funding from the State. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Palm Springs, California, as follows: SECTION 1. OPPOSITION TO CITY OF PALM DESERT RESOLUTION NO. 01-117 The City of Palm Springs hereby opposes the City of Palm Desert's proposal to transfer an area of Frank Sinatra Drive and Monterey Avenue within the boundaries of Palm Springs Unified School District to the Desert Sands Unified School District as such transferwill substantially and negatively impact the students and residents of Palm Springs on both educational and financial terms. SECTION 2. JOINDER WITH PALM SPRINGS UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT The City of Palm Springs herebyjoins the Palm Springs Unified School District ' in opposing said proposal and concurs with the Palm Springs Unified School District's Evaluation of Compliance wherein it has been determined that such reorganization would negatively impactthe residents and students in the Palm Springs Unified School District in contravention to the criteria set forth in California Education Code Section 35753(a). SECTION 3. CERTIFICATION That the City Clerk shall certify as to the adoption of this Resolution and shall cause the same to be processed in the manner required by law. ADOPTED this 15thday of may 12002. AYES: Members Hodges, Wen, Reller-Spurgin and Mayor Kleiudienst NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: Member Mills ATTEST: CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA ' City Clerk City Manager REVIEWED &APPROVED AS TO FORM a�,8 3