8/12/2019 FAQ's Regarding Charters AUSD

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Office of the Superintendent

Donald Gill, Ed.D.

P reparing Students for Success in College, Career, and Life

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March 15, 2014

You are receiving this mailing to clarify information about Dozier-Libbey Medical High Schools petition to become a Charter school and how it impacts the students of the Antioch Unified SchoolDistrict.

As Superintendent of the Antioch Unified School District it is my responsibility to ensure that all of ourschools are accessible to all Antioch Unified School District students. It is through the District that ourcommunity has an opportunity to monitor and ensure that all of our schools are accessible to all students.If this charter petition is approved choices and options for our students would be severely restricted.According to the charter petition on pages 87-88 if a random drawing for admissions is necessary theadmission preferences shall be given to the following students in the following order:

1. All students currently enrolled in the Charter School2. Siblings of enrolled students3. Children of Charter School teachers and staff4. Children who reside in the former attendance area5. Residents of the District6. All other applicants

Answers to questions raised about the conversion charter petitionfiled by 23 teachers at Dozier-Libbey Medical High School .Q: Why do some Dozier-Libbey Medical High School (DLMHS) staff want to break away fromthe District and convert the school into a charter school operated by a corporation?A. A small group of staff at DLMHS (petitioners) submitted a petition to the District to convertDLMHS to a charter school to be operated by a non-profit corporation. According to their petition, the

petitioners want to gain autonomy and go back to the original vision of the schools founding, andcontinue to build their program as originally intended. The petition also claims the schools vision waseroded when the District required Dozier-Libbey to follow Board grading policies applicable to all otherDistrict secondary schools. The petitioners want to eliminate the D grade from their grading system.Students earning a D for their work receive a grade of F for the course. District policy requires studentsto receive the grade they earn and giving a student a grade of F when the student earned a D is an unfair

practice. This policy of not giving students the grade earned is bad for all students and has a disparateimpact on certain groups of students served at the school. Additionally, the petitioners propose to requireall students to take advanced courses that are not required for graduation at other District secondaryschools, but that action may further exclude students interested in the medical curriculum offered at theschool.

Q: Was the District aware of or involved in this charter petition as it was being developed?A: No. The staff at DLMHS met privately behind closed doors to write this proposal and gathersignatures from staff without the Districts knowledge or involvement. They never approached Districtleaders to see if their differences could be addressed without moving to a charter. Without anytransparency in their process, it came as a complete surprise when it was delivered to the District onFebruary 24, 2014.

8/12/2019 FAQ's Regarding Charters AUSD

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Q. If the conversion charter petition is approved, will Dozier-Libbey still be part of the AntiochUnified School District (AUSD)?A. No, the petitioners have filed to become a conversion charter school operated by a non-profitcorporation separate from the Antioch Unified School District. Additionally, if approved, the Districtwill most likely be required to surrender use of its facility to the corporation.

Q. If the conversion charter petition is approved, can my son/daughter still participate in AUSDextracurricular activities?A. No. Students of the conversion charter school would not be eligible to participate in the Districtsathletic teams or other extracurricular activities.

Q: It appears the charter application builds in an ongoing annual 3% pay raise for teachers. Isthat what the rest of AUSD teachers will be getting for the next five years?A: All of their colleagues in other AUSD schools are not guaranteed a pay raise as the District andteachers negotiate pay according to the collective bargaining agreement. Additionally, building in amulti-year raise is a fiscally unsound business practice as school funding changes are determined byenrollment and, specifically, the number of low income, foster, homeless, and English learners attending

the school.Q: Is it true that nearly 85% of the staff that petitioned to become a charter are not residents ofAntioch?A. Yes.

Q: What is the District Administrations position regarding the Dozier conversion charterpetition?A: The District Administration does not believe that the petitioners effort to convert Dozier-Libbey to acharter school is good for the school and community. The entire conversion process and the way it wasconducted by a small group of petitioners who do not live in this community has divided teachers within

the District and caused a substantial disruption to the educational environment at the school. Dozier-Libbey is a California Distinguished school due to the leadership and vision exhibited by the Board ofTrustees and District Administration in making the school a reality, the commitment to excellenceexhibited by Dozier-Libbeys teachers, and the exceptional efforts of its hard working students. TheDistrict Administration believes that maintaining an inclusive school environment at Dozier-Libbey

benefits ALL students in the community.

Q: When will we know if the charter petition is approved or denied?A: The District is currently preparing a legal analysis and will present its findings to the AUSD Boardof Education at a special Board meeting on March 19, 2014, for approval or denial. This is also the dateof the public hearing wherein parents, community members and staff can voice their support or

opposition to the charter petition.