10 San Jose schools may close or consolidate due to $20 million budget deficit, district says
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Families in the South Bay are confronting the harsh reality that some of their schools could be shut down.
San Jose's Alum Rock Union School District says it must close campuses to deal with a $20 million budget deficit.
Our ABC7 News graphic below shows which schools are being considered.
The district announced 10 schools that may close or consolidate at the end of the school year.
Schools Recommended for Closure
- Aptitud Community Academy at Goss
- Donald J. Meyer Elementary School
- Horace Cureton Elementary School
- Joseph George Middle School
- Lyndale Elementary School
- Renaissance Academy at Fischer
- Sylvia Cassell Elementary School
Schools Recommended for Consolidation (Not Closure)
- LUCHA Academy
- Painter Elementary School
Schools Recommended for Redesign
- Chavez Early Learning Center
The district has seen a steady decline in their enrollment -- which is part of the reason for the closures.
Parents and students are wondering what will happen to their schools next year.
"Honestly pretty sad cause either my siblings or I wont be able to see our friends cause it's going to be different schools," said Melanie Delgado, 6th grade, Renaissance Academy at Fischer.
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Renaissance Academy at Fischer is one of seven schools the Alum Rock Union School District is recommending for closure.
Now students are thinking what will this mean for them next year?
"I don't know lots of kids, so I'll feel like more nervous," Delgado said.
We spoke with a mom who didn't want to share her name but has been an active parent at Lucha Academy where her son is in the 2nd grade. It was last week she found out the news of the potential closures through the app Parent Square.
"It was really upsetting that I thought we were doing good and it's not," she said.
Lucha is one of two schools the district is recommending consolidating, not closing.
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Superintendent German Cerda held an informational meeting Monday morning for parents.
"I asked him specifically if they were going to keep the staff members so what he answered was that they were gonna look for empty I don't know empty space at San Antonio and then consolidate Lucha there," she said.
The superintendent says each school that closes saves the district $1 million in operating costs.
The closure recommendations will be presented to the board of trustees November 14.
The board will make the final decision on December 2.
