A message from DUSD
The Downey Unified School District has issued the following statement regarding discussions about possibly opening a dual language elementary school campus. The statement is being printed in its entirety:
After overwhelmingly positive feedback from elementary stakeholders, the recommendation is moving forward to implement a new Dual Language program at the elementary level for the 2019-2020 school year. The school site where this program will be housed is going to be discussed and planned for a vote at the next Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019.
“After reviewing the data we’ve gathered and the input received at the staff and community meetings in December, it is clear that our stakeholders are supportive of a Dual Language program within Downey Unified,” stated Wayne Shannon, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education. “We know that providing this type of program to our students will continue to lead them in the direction to be globally competitive lifelong learners.”
After extensive research of the possibility of implementing new instructional programs within Downey Unified, district staff concluded its secondary staff and community meetings Tuesday night in a process to gather stakeholder input. Based on the input gathered from the six secondary staff meetings and six community meetings, a clear message was apparent from both groups recommending the district look for other options at the secondary level to address the issue of declining enrollment in the coming years.
Stakeholder feedback gathered at the secondary meetings has guided district staff to revise and extend the length of the input process and, as a result, withdraw the options presented at the Board of Education in December and January. Withdrawing these options would halt the discussion of implementing a new sixth grade through twelfth grade magnet school in the 2020-2021 school year and no action will be taken on Jan. 29, 2019, and subsequently no vote will be made in February. For the remainder of the year, staff will continue to engage stakeholders in the decision-making process through meetings, community forums and the creation of advisory groups in an effort to identify additional strategies to assist Downey Unified in combating the foreseeable decline in enrollment.
“The stakeholder feedback has been very clear that they were in favor of a revised timeline that would provide more opportunities for all stakeholders to explore additional ideas that would benefit our district’s secondary students,” stated Roger Brossmer, Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education. “After this input, slowing things down and keeping Sussman Middle School status quo will be included in next Tuesday’s presentation and no action will be taken. With this revision, we will continue our research with the help of advisory groups knowing this collaborative effort will help us find the best direction to move the district forward in the coming years to help mitigate the negative impacts of our projected decline in enrollment.”
Presentations were made to the Board of Education beginning in November regarding the proposed changes at the elementary level and in December regarding the potential secondary changes. At those meetings Board members directed district staff to schedule meetings to gather stakeholder feedback and answer questions.
Monthly Regular Board of Education meetings are held at 5 p.m. in the Board Room at the district office. A previously scheduled Special Board meeting will also be held on Tuesday, Jan. 29th, 2019, at 5:30 p.m., with an alternate location of the Downey High School Theater (11040 Brookshire Ave., Downey) to provide a larger venue. The next Regular Board of Education meeting is scheduled on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at 5 p.m. at the district office.