RES-2015-256RESOLUTION NO. 2015- 2 5 6
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
ANAHEIM SUPPORTING ANAHEIM'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
AND OFFERING TO WORK IN CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP
WITH ALL CITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO ENSURE
STUDENTS IN THE CITY HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO A
QUALITY EDUCATION, INCLUDING SUPPORT FOR
PROGRAMS, POLICIES, AND EDUCATIONAL CHOICES
PROVIDED IN STATE LAW TO EMPOWER PARENTS AND
STUDENTS TO CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP (AKA THE
"ANAHEIM PARENT AND STUDENT EMPOWERMENT
ACT")
WHEREAS, the City of Anaheim has a long-standing, supportive partnership with its
school districts providing millions annually in supplemental educational resources; and
WHEREAS, the city's financial support includes funding public safety officers and
crossing guards at public school campuses, after school enrichment programs, joint -use
agreements for city parks and libraries, and community services that provide a direct
enhancement to the education of the City's children; and
WIIEREAS, the City of Anaheim's greater business community contributes millions
annually to support the City's public schools, including a recently completed Youth Assessment
Survey funded by the Disneyland Resort, and the new grant initiative Accelerate Change
Together (ACT), managed by the Orange County Community Foundation with financial support
provided by the Disneyland Resort, Angels Baseball, and Anaheim Ducks, to address gaps in
service for underserved Anaheim youth; and
WHEREAS, the City of Anaheim agrees all residents, parents and children, deserve equal
access to a quality education; and
WHEREAS, many school districts across the City are achieving and exceeding state
standards, with many of their schools recognized as California Distinguished Schools, and
WHEREAS, parents at chronically low performing schools in Anaheim have sought to
exercise their legal rights under California's Parent Empowerment Law to improve access for
their children to a better education and have faced staunch political and legal opposition by
elected and administration officials governing these schools at taxpayer expense; and
WHEREAS, charter schools provide a personalized approach to education including
smaller classrooms, innovative teaching methods, and parent involvement, such as the acclaimed
El Rancho Middle School with Orange Unified School District and the independent GOALS
Academy, which opened its doors on August 17, 2015 with the full support of the Anaheim City
School District administration and trustees; and
WHEREAS, Charter Schools have been used effectively in the Los Angeles Unified
School District to provide an alternative for economically disadvantaged students who have been
attending chronically underperforming public schools; and
WHEREAS, AUHSD covers five cities in its jurisdiction, Anaheim, Buena Park,
Cypress, La Palma, Stanton and its resolution was directed only in Anaheim and provides no
taxpayer safeguards that if adopted by the City, the additional funding would be used to support
schools and students in Anaheim, rather than the other four cities of the AUHSD service area;
and
WHEREAS, the City's schools have received record levels of increased state funding
over the past two fiscal years and the state Legislative Analyst Office has stated that the next
fiscal year will be at or above existing levels, in addition to a $249 million bond approved by
voters for AUHSD in 2014 and a $169.3 million bond approved by voters for ACSD in 2010;
and
WHEREAS, ACSD had just approved an expenditure of $670,000 in funding that will go
to legal fees rather than its public schools to appeal the Superior Court ruling in favor of Palm
Lane parents exercising their legal rights under the California Parent Empowerment Law; and
WHEREAS, the City of Anaheim and its public school districts should work together to
adopt programs, policies, and reforms that are directed at closing the achievement gap at existing
schools currently underperforming by state standards to ensure all students in the City have equal
access to a quality education; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Anaheim:
1. The City of Anaheim will continue to provide significant financial resources based on
existing budgetary practices to continue the City's historic support of its public schools
and will continue to partner with its school districts on joint -use facilities and programs to
enhance educational opportunities for families, parents and children in the City; and
2. The City of Anaheim urges the seven school districts that serve Anaheim students to
adopt policies and programs to provide greater levels of high quality educational choice,
including charter schools, and to adopt strategic plans and reforms to close the
achievement gap for chronically low performing schools in Anaheim before seeking
additional city funding; and
3. The City of Anaheim urges all seven school districts to actively inform parents of their
legal rights under the California Parent Empowerment law and its Parent Trigger
provisions, and to support and not in any way legally hinder or cease existing legal efforts
to challenge parents exercising their legal rights as authorized by state law.
THE FOREGOING RESOLUTION is approved and adopted by the City Council of the
City of Anaheim this 1 5th day of September , 2015, by the following roll call vote:
AYES: Mayor Pro Tem Kring and Council Members Murray and
Vanderbilt
NOES: Mayor Tait and Council Member Brandman
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
CITY OF ANAHEIM
By:
ATTEST:
CITY CLEkOFHE CITY OF ANA EIM
7
MAYOR OF THE CI Y OF ANAHEIM