In anticipation of the county’s future growth and development,
school districts in San Benito County are planning to reinstate a
committee to address district organization.
Hollister – In anticipation of the county’s future growth and development, school districts in San Benito County are planning to reinstate a committee to address district organization.
The committee’s formation, however, has become an area of debate among the various districts’ boards and other county education officials.
San Benito County has not had a County Committee on School District Organization for nearly a decade. The primary purpose of the committee, as mandated by California’s educational code, is to oversee district boundary changes or district unification and make recommendations on any issues that arise.
Because there were none for some time, the committee became defunct. In recent years, with the building moratorium in place, there has been no action needing the committee’s oversight.
But most district and county education officials agree there could be some in the foreseeable future and it is important to look ahead toward that.
“I believe that it’s necessary for us to do whatever work is needed to get this committee up and functioning again so we’ll have this committee to deal with the proposal – if there is a proposal – to adjust county lines,” said Bill Tiffany, a trustee with the San Benito High School District.
The conflict in the matter doesn’t relate so much to whether the committee should be formed, but it’s more about who will have control of it.
Traditionally, the committee is made up of 11 members – five from each county supervisorial district and one at-large resident – who are elected by school district board members. Because the committee has been dissolved, however, the board members can elect only three members, while the San Benito County superintendent selects the other eight.
Alternatively, Superintendent Tim Foley has suggested that the San Benito County Office of Education Board of Trustees take over the committee’s responsibilities. In California, 32 of the 58 counties have done this.
Foley said he believed the committee would be “better served” if it were taken over by the county board of education.
“There is concern (regarding) our protection of our individual autonomy and keeping it as local as possible,” Foley said. “My thought with the county office of education board is we would have informed people making the decisions.”
The San Benito County Office of Education Board of Trustees members are elected by their region’s constituents to represent each of the five county supervisorial districts.
But when representatives from the eight of the eleven school districts’ boards met Wednesday evening to discuss the committee’s formation, many board members expressed concern that with both options, the needs of their particular districts would not be met.
Trustees did not reach a decision, but each agreed they would go back and discuss the two options – and research possible alternatives – before meeting again later this year.
“I am not happy with either (choice),” said Rob Bernosky, a trustee with North County Joint Union School District. “That’s why I have to contact the state board of education, to find out if there is a hybrid out there. Yes, other counties do transfer the duties and powers to the county board of education. But I don’t like it for San Benito County.”
Most of the concern pertained to not having local control with major issues – such as district boundaries.
“I would say that the overriding concern is the consolidation of power within the superintendent’s office,” Bernosky said.
With large projects, such as developer DMB’s proposed 6,800-unit El Rancho San Benito, looming on the horizon, trustees are worried their particular needs won’t be met.
“The high school district, we are definitely concerned because the proposed DMB development would at least partially straddle existing county lines,” Tiffany said.
Still, Foley said that proposed developments should not affect the creation of the committee.
“We’re all aware of development coming into our county, and that may or may not affect the county committee,” Foley said. “The issues of development have nothing to do with the formation of the county committee. That is an unfortunate distraction.”
Tiffany said he needed to do more research before he took a position.
“I believe that each district is going to have to look into the situation further to see what, in fact, would be best for the particular district,” he said.
While no agreement was reached, officials seemed to agree that this was an important issue.
“I am confident that we will be able to work together and find a mutually agreeable process,” Tim Foley said.
