HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-04-20 City Schools Liaison Committee Agenda PacketCITY OF PALO ALTO &
PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
City Schools Liaison Committee
Regular Meeting
Thursday, April 20, 2023
8:30 AM
Community Meeting Room & Hybrid
250 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto
Pursuant to AB 361 Palo Alto City School Liaison meetings will be held as “hybrid” meetings with the option to
attend by teleconference/video conference or in person. To maximize public safety while still maintaining
transparency and public access, members of the public can choose to participate from home or attend in person.
Information on how the public may observe and participate in the meeting is located at the end of the agenda.
Masks are strongly encouraged if attending in person. The meeting will be broadcast live on Zoom and YouTube
at https://www.youtube.com/c/cityofpaloalto.
VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION CLICK HERE TO JOIN (https://cityofpaloalto.zoom.us/j/86280460108)
Meeting ID: 862 8046 0108 Phone:1‐669‐900‐6833
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Public Comments will be accepted both in person and via Zoom meeting. All requests to speak will be taken until
5 minutes after the staff’s presentation. Written public comments can be submitted in advance to
city.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org and will be provided to the board. Please clearly indicate which agenda item you
are referencing in your email subject line. PowerPoints, videos, or other media to be presented during public
comment are accepted only by email to city.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Once
received, the City Clerk will have them shared at public comment for the specified item. To uphold strong
cybersecurity management practices, USB’s or other physical electronic storage devices are not accepted.
CALL TO ORDER
REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
A.Public Comments
B.Approval of Minutes
C.Sharing Your “Why” for This Work
D.City and District Reports
E.City and Schools Collaborations Discussion (continued from March 16, 2023)
F.Future Business
ADJOURNMENT
INFORMATION REPORT
G.Summary Minutes of the March 16, 2023 Meeting
PUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS
Members of the Public may provide public comments to teleconference meetings via email,
teleconference, or by phone.
1. Written public comments may be submitted by email to city.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org.
2. Spoken public comments using a computer will be accepted through the teleconference
meeting. To address the Committee, click on the link below to access a Zoom‐based meeting.
Please read the following instructions carefully.
You may download the Zoom client or connect to the meeting in‐ browser. If using your
browser, make sure you are using a current, up‐to‐date browser: Chrome 30 , Firefox 27 ,
Microsoft Edge 12 , Safari 7 . Certain functionality may be disabled in older browsers
including Internet Explorer.
You may be asked to enter an email address and name. We request that you identify
yourself by name as this will be visible online and will be used to notify you that it is
your turn to speak.
When you wish to speak on an Agenda Item, click on “raise hand.” The Clerk will activate
and unmute speakers in turn. Speakers will be notified shortly before they are called to
speak.
When called, please limit your remarks to the time limit allotted.A timer will be shown
on the computer to help keep track of your comments.
3. Spoken public comments using a smart phone will be accepted through the teleconference
meeting. To address the Committee, download the Zoom application onto your phone from
the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and enter the Meeting ID below. Please follow the
instructions B‐E above.
4. Spoken public comments using a phone use the telephone number listed below. When you
wish to speak on an agenda item hit *9 on your phone so we know that you wish to speak. You
will be asked to provide your first and last name before addressing the Committee. You will be
advised how long you have to speak. When called please limit your remarks to the agenda
item and time limit allotted.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN Meeting ID: 862 8046 0108 Phone:1‐669‐900‐6833
1 Regular Meeting April 20, 2023
Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the Board after distribution of the agenda packet are
available for public inspection at www.CityofPaloAlto.org.
CITY OF PALO ALTO & PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT City Schools Liaison CommitteeRegular MeetingThursday, April 20, 20238:30 AMCommunity Meeting Room & Hybrid250 Hamilton Ave, Palo AltoPursuant to AB 361 Palo Alto City School Liaison meetings will be held as “hybrid” meetings with the option toattend by teleconference/video conference or in person. To maximize public safety while still maintainingtransparency and public access, members of the public can choose to participate from home or attend in person.Information on how the public may observe and participate in the meeting is located at the end of the agenda.Masks are strongly encouraged if attending in person. The meeting will be broadcast live on Zoom and YouTubeat https://www.youtube.com/c/cityofpaloalto.VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION CLICK HERE TO JOIN (https://cityofpaloalto.zoom.us/j/86280460108) Meeting ID: 862 8046 0108 Phone:1‐669‐900‐6833 PUBLIC COMMENTSPublic Comments will be accepted both in person and via Zoom meeting. All requests to speak will be taken until5 minutes after the staff’s presentation. Written public comments can be submitted in advance tocity.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org and will be provided to the board. Please clearly indicate which agenda item youare referencing in your email subject line. PowerPoints, videos, or other media to be presented during publiccomment are accepted only by email to city.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Oncereceived, the City Clerk will have them shared at public comment for the specified item. To uphold strongcybersecurity management practices, USB’s or other physical electronic storage devices are not accepted.CALL TO ORDERREVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONSA.Public CommentsB.Approval of MinutesC.Sharing Your “Why” for This WorkD.City and District Reports
E.City and Schools Collaborations Discussion (continued from March 16, 2023)
F.Future Business
ADJOURNMENT
INFORMATION REPORT
G.Summary Minutes of the March 16, 2023 Meeting
PUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS
Members of the Public may provide public comments to teleconference meetings via email,
teleconference, or by phone.
1. Written public comments may be submitted by email to city.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org.
2. Spoken public comments using a computer will be accepted through the teleconference
meeting. To address the Committee, click on the link below to access a Zoom‐based meeting.
Please read the following instructions carefully.
You may download the Zoom client or connect to the meeting in‐ browser. If using your
browser, make sure you are using a current, up‐to‐date browser: Chrome 30 , Firefox 27 ,
Microsoft Edge 12 , Safari 7 . Certain functionality may be disabled in older browsers
including Internet Explorer.
You may be asked to enter an email address and name. We request that you identify
yourself by name as this will be visible online and will be used to notify you that it is
your turn to speak.
When you wish to speak on an Agenda Item, click on “raise hand.” The Clerk will activate
and unmute speakers in turn. Speakers will be notified shortly before they are called to
speak.
When called, please limit your remarks to the time limit allotted.A timer will be shown
on the computer to help keep track of your comments.
3. Spoken public comments using a smart phone will be accepted through the teleconference
meeting. To address the Committee, download the Zoom application onto your phone from
the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and enter the Meeting ID below. Please follow the
instructions B‐E above.
4. Spoken public comments using a phone use the telephone number listed below. When you
wish to speak on an agenda item hit *9 on your phone so we know that you wish to speak. You
will be asked to provide your first and last name before addressing the Committee. You will be
advised how long you have to speak. When called please limit your remarks to the agenda
item and time limit allotted.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN Meeting ID: 862 8046 0108 Phone:1‐669‐900‐6833
2 Regular Meeting April 20, 2023
Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the Board after distribution of the agenda packet are
available for public inspection at www.CityofPaloAlto.org.
CITY OF PALO ALTO & PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT City Schools Liaison CommitteeRegular MeetingThursday, April 20, 20238:30 AMCommunity Meeting Room & Hybrid250 Hamilton Ave, Palo AltoPursuant to AB 361 Palo Alto City School Liaison meetings will be held as “hybrid” meetings with the option toattend by teleconference/video conference or in person. To maximize public safety while still maintainingtransparency and public access, members of the public can choose to participate from home or attend in person.Information on how the public may observe and participate in the meeting is located at the end of the agenda.Masks are strongly encouraged if attending in person. The meeting will be broadcast live on Zoom and YouTubeat https://www.youtube.com/c/cityofpaloalto.VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION CLICK HERE TO JOIN (https://cityofpaloalto.zoom.us/j/86280460108) Meeting ID: 862 8046 0108 Phone:1‐669‐900‐6833 PUBLIC COMMENTSPublic Comments will be accepted both in person and via Zoom meeting. All requests to speak will be taken until5 minutes after the staff’s presentation. Written public comments can be submitted in advance tocity.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org and will be provided to the board. Please clearly indicate which agenda item youare referencing in your email subject line. PowerPoints, videos, or other media to be presented during publiccomment are accepted only by email to city.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Oncereceived, the City Clerk will have them shared at public comment for the specified item. To uphold strongcybersecurity management practices, USB’s or other physical electronic storage devices are not accepted.CALL TO ORDERREVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONSA.Public CommentsB.Approval of MinutesC.Sharing Your “Why” for This WorkD.City and District ReportsE.City and Schools Collaborations Discussion (continued from March 16, 2023)F.Future BusinessADJOURNMENTINFORMATION REPORT
G.Summary Minutes of the March 16, 2023 Meeting
PUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS
Members of the Public may provide public comments to teleconference meetings via email,
teleconference, or by phone.
1. Written public comments may be submitted by email to city.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org.
2. Spoken public comments using a computer will be accepted through the teleconference
meeting. To address the Committee, click on the link below to access a Zoom‐based meeting.
Please read the following instructions carefully.
You may download the Zoom client or connect to the meeting in‐ browser. If using your
browser, make sure you are using a current, up‐to‐date browser: Chrome 30 , Firefox 27 ,
Microsoft Edge 12 , Safari 7 . Certain functionality may be disabled in older browsers
including Internet Explorer.
You may be asked to enter an email address and name. We request that you identify
yourself by name as this will be visible online and will be used to notify you that it is
your turn to speak.
When you wish to speak on an Agenda Item, click on “raise hand.” The Clerk will activate
and unmute speakers in turn. Speakers will be notified shortly before they are called to
speak.
When called, please limit your remarks to the time limit allotted.A timer will be shown
on the computer to help keep track of your comments.
3. Spoken public comments using a smart phone will be accepted through the teleconference
meeting. To address the Committee, download the Zoom application onto your phone from
the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and enter the Meeting ID below. Please follow the
instructions B‐E above.
4. Spoken public comments using a phone use the telephone number listed below. When you
wish to speak on an agenda item hit *9 on your phone so we know that you wish to speak. You
will be asked to provide your first and last name before addressing the Committee. You will be
advised how long you have to speak. When called please limit your remarks to the agenda
item and time limit allotted.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN Meeting ID: 862 8046 0108 Phone:1‐669‐900‐6833
3 Regular Meeting April 20, 2023
Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the Board after distribution of the agenda packet are
available for public inspection at www.CityofPaloAlto.org.
Page 1 of 1
Regular Meeting
March 16, 2023
Chair Lythcott-Haims called the meeting to order on this date at 8:38 A.M.
Present: City of Palo Alto Representatives
Pat Burt, Council Member
Julie Lythcott-Haims, Chair
Chantal Cotton Gaines, Deputy City Manager
Sylvia Star-Lack, Transportation Manager
Jose Palma, Safe Routes to School Coordinator
Palo Alto Unified School District Representatives
Shounak Dharap, Board Member
Lana Conaway, Assistant Superintendent
1. Open Forum/Public Communications
Ken Horowitz spoke about Cubberley and the importance of this Committee.
2. Minutes Approval
Approval of minutes from the February 16, 2023 meetings.
MOTION: Board Member Dharap moved, seconded by Council Member Burt to approve
minutes from the February 16, 2023 meeting.
MOTION PASSED: 3-0, Collins absent
3a. Updates from Palo Alto Unified School District
Assistant Superintendent Conaway and Board Member Dharap provided a report to this item.
3b. Updates from City of Palo Alto
Council Member Burt provided a report to this item.
4. Presentation from the Safe Routes to School Team (annual SRTS Report)
Transportation Manager Star-Lack and Safe Routes to School Coordinator Palma provided a
report to this item.
5. Discussion of Committee Purpose and City-PAUSD Collaborations
No action taken.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 a.m.
City/School Liaison Committee
Action Meeting Minutes
Item B
March 16, 2023 Action
Minutes
Packet Pg. 4 of 23
Item No. E.Page 1 of 1
City Schools Liaison Committee
Staff Report
From: Chantal Gaines, Deputy City Manager
Meeting Date: April 20, 2023
TITLE
City and Schools Collaborations Discussion (continued from March 16, 2023)
ANALYSIS
At the March 16, 2023 City / Schools Liaison Committee, the Committee deferred the last
agenda item related to Collaborations between the City and Palo Alto Unified School District.
The memo that was attached to the March 16, 2023 agenda is attached here. That memo is
from June 2021 when this Committee last discussed this topic. The March 16 memo also
included the purpose statement of the City Schools Liaison Committee. This March 16 memo is
included as Attachment A.
In addition to that memo, there are a few other attachments included with this memo for
awareness only. They generally relate to the topic of collaborations but are not central to the
conversation. This includes the following:
- Letter from PAUSD to the City related to Cubberley (Attachment B)
- Enrollment Trends Report presented to the PAUSD Board of Education which includes a
recommendation related to creating a lottery system for City employees‘ children to be
able enroll into PAUSD (Attachment C and link:
https://go.boarddocs.com/ca/pausd/Board.nsf/files/CQ6MVL5D16D0/$file/20230328En
rollmentTrendsandOptionsAdHocCommitteePresentation.pdf)
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: March 2023 Memo re City and Schools Collaborations
Attachment B: Letter from PAUSD School Board to City of Palo Alto re Cubberley
Attachment C: PAUSD Enrollment Trends Ad Hoc Committee Presentation to the Board
Report #: 2304-1266
Item E
Staff Report
Packet Pg. 5 of 23
To: City School Liaison Committee
From: City Staff
Date: March 16, 2023
Subject: City and Schools Collaborations Discussion
The City Schools Liaison Committee (CSLC) began to discuss the Committee Purpose at the February 16,
2023 meeting. Staff shared that the City Council and PAUSD Board adopted the CSLC Purpose Statement
in November 2019 (Attachment A) and the Committee asked for this information to be brought to the
March 2023 meeting.
In addition to the Purpose Statement, the Committee also requested to bring back the discussion on the
City and Schools Collaborations. The most recent memo on that was from June 2021 is included here as
Attachment B for Committee review.
Item E
Attachment A-March
2023-Follow Up
Collaborations Memo and
Attachments
Packet Pg. 6 of 23
Purpose Statement - City School Liaison Committee
Agreed Upon at the November 21, 2019 Meeting
November 21, 2019
The City of Palo Alto and the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) have a
shared interest in the health, safety, and welfare of students and families in the Palo
Alto community. The following is the purpose statement for the City School
Liaison Committee, agreed upon by the City School Liaison Committee on
November 21, 2019.
Purpose: The Committee meetings serve as a time for PAUSD Board Members
and City of Palo Alto City Council Members to officially come together on a
regular basis. It provides a unique opportunity for the elected representatives and
associated staff to:
•Establish stronger relations between and among elected and staff across
separate jurisdictions operating in the same community
•Gain understanding of perspectives, opportunities, constraints of
PAUSD, the City, and other schools in the community
•Share current actions and activities
•Explore current and ongoing issues of mutual interest
•Identify issues and/or devise means to prevent issues from arising in the
future
•Work together on relevant community projects
•Regularly communicate to both bodies
Attachment A-March 2023Item E
Attachment A-March
2023-Follow Up
Collaborations Memo and
Attachments
Packet Pg. 7 of 23
City-Schools Collaborations Memo June Addition
Page 1
To: City School Liaison Committee
From: City Staff
Date: June 17, 2021
Subject: City and Schools Collaborations Follow Up Discussion
At the March 25, 2021 City School Liaison Committee, the Committee started to review existing
collaborations that exist between the City of Palo Alto (the City) and the Palo Alto Unified School District
(PAUSD) for serving the needs of youth and families. The initial list of categories of collaborations were
included in the memo contained online (https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/agendas-
minutes-reports/at-places-memo/03-25-21-cslc-at-places-memo-item-5.pdf). The Committee continued
the conversation at the May 20, 2021 meeting with the City staff providing an updated memo with
additional context about the programs offered by the City. The Committee asked the School District to
fill in programs within applicable categories.
The information below is that additional information in red from the School District for the Committee
to review and provide guidance on future discussion scheduling of these items. This is still not an
exhaustive list but is additional information adding to the initial lists mentioned above.
Transportation and Planning:
-Student travel safety
o Safe Routes to School – 21+ years
City program management, education, contracts
Schools facility use
Ongoing informal support from the District
Ongoing parent engagement – City /School Traffic Safety Liaison Committee
o Crossing Guards – 10-20 years
Warrants and analysis
City contract management
-Shuttle buses (10-20 years – discontinued in FY 2021)
-Railroad grade separations and bike/ped improvements
o Ongoing implementation of pedestrian and bicycle improvements (e.g., South Palo Alto
bikeways project, SRTS CIP).
o Process mapping opportunity
o District and community engagement
Youth Mental Health:
o Project Safety Net youth mental health
o Care Solace (online resource with a live, multilingual Care Concierge meant to assist individuals
in finding local mental health-related programs and counseling services).
o On-site Wellness Centers
o PAUSD Telehealth Services
o Asian American Community Involvement (ACCI) – Individual, group, and family therapy;
Substance Abuse
o Contracted services through three mental health agencies (Cassy/Acknowledg e
Alliance/ Family and Children's Services) at the elementary level and one mental health
agency (CASSY) at the secondary level, to offer free, comprehensive site-based
counseling supports to students.
Attachment B - March 2023Item E
Attachment A-March
2023-Follow Up
Collaborations Memo and
Attachments
Packet Pg. 8 of 23
City-Schools Collaborations Memo June Addition
Page 2
Teen Leadership Programs:
-Palo Alto Youth Council and Teen Advisory Board
-Other programming for teens at community centers and libraries
-District programs
Recreation:
-Middle school athletics
-School playing fields after hour rental, management and maintenance
-PAUSD InPlay – comprehensive collaborative community effort to develop a citywide network of
quality summer and after school learning opportunities.
Libraries and Community Services:
-Libraries
o Partnership between school and City librarians (e.g., sharing Summer Reading Program
materials at schools)
o Career services – 2 years
o Student Library ID as City Library Card partnership – 4-6 years
-Community Centers
o Cubberley (MakeX maker space)
o Mitchell (the Drop-in Teen Center)
-Art Programs – 10-21+ years
o Youth Art Exhibit at Art Center
o Project Look – Partnership for Art Center School Tour Program
o Cultural Kaleidoscope Program – Art Center artists in classroom art instruction
o Dance in Schools – dance programming in schools
o Teen Arts
o Children’s Theatre – Outreach and Theatre in elementary schools
-Junior Museum and Zoo – science education (10-21+ years)
-Childcare
o Palo Alto Community Child Care
o Right At School
Safety:
-School Resource Officers (onsite officers, safety trainings, etc.) – 30 years; discontinued FY 2021
-Ongoing communication with schools and District (special events, investigations, major case
support, etc.)
-Emergency Services support
-School site emergency plans
Item E
Attachment A-March
2023-Follow Up
Collaborations Memo and
Attachments
Packet Pg. 9 of 23
BOARD OF EDUCATION
25 Churchill Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94306
(650)329-3983
www.pausd.org
March 13, 2023
Palo Alto City Council
250 Hamilton Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94301
Re: Invitation for Cubberley Development Proposals
Dear Colleagues,
What’s happening with Cubberley?
Within the shared canon of our two governmental bodies, few questions evoke the
same wearied engagement as this one. It’s a perennial topic at City/School Liaison
Committee meetings (where it is given a light touch) and during election-season
candidate forums (where the response is a touch heavy-handed). It has been the
subject of meetings, workshops, listening sessions, town halls, and a master plan, all
while the site has remained relatively unchanged since the school was closed on
February 6, 1979. As the crumbling infrastructure belies the rich panoply of community-
oriented programs that now inhabit the site, there is general agreement that Cubberley’s
current use is unsustainable without significant capital improvements.
We, the PAUSD Board of Education, shoulder some of the responsibility for the
restrained pace of Cubberley’s redevelopment plan. But our caution is well-founded. As
fiduciaries of the school district and trustees of students present and future, we have a
fundamental duty to ensure we do not prejudice their interests by repeating the
mistakes of our past selves—when we gave up land during a period of declining
enrollment only to find ourselves in financial dire straits once the need for a new
campus inevitably arose years later.
Indeed, we found ourselves with a student-driven need for the site just this past year.
Two of our elementary schools, Palo Verde and Hoover, are undergoing sitewide
redevelopment. Accordingly, we designated a temporary school campus on the
Cubberley site that will be in use through 2025 to serve those students for the duration
of the construction.
Nevertheless, we understand and fully support the City’s desire to move forward on
development of a portion of the site to realize the vision of a fully-fledged Cubberley
Community Center. The polished incarnation of this community gem will surely benefit
our joint stakeholders and serve as a resource for the District’s students and families.
Item E
Attachment B-Letter from
PAUSD School Board to
City of Palo Alto re
Cubberley
Packet Pg. 10 of 23
BOARD OF EDUCATION
25 Churchill Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94306
(650)329-3983
www.pausd.org
Our enthusiasm to support the City’s endeavor is caveated by two constraints: (1) we
have a desire to retain ownership over roughly 20 of the 35 acres for future school use,
the exact nature of which cannot be determined until the need for such a school arises;
and (2) we cannot ask the voters to pass a school bond to fund a community center
development, as such a bond may only be used to fund school construction as
specifically enumerated in Education Code section 15100.
Within those constraints lies a viable path forward. We are open to a deal that transfers
ownership or development control over at least 7 additional acres to the City, leaving
the City with a total of 15 or more acres to freely develop without the constraints placed
upon us. (For reference, the current indoor space at Cubberley amounts to roughly 1.5
acres.) While our preference is to retain 20 acres for future school development, we will
not automatically foreclose a deal that might include a transfer of more than 7 acres.
Furthermore, nothing in such a deal would preclude the City from continuing to lease
the remaining acreage from the District until such a time as the need arises for a new
school. Moreover, we are flexible about the exact location of the City’s acreage based
on the needs of the City’s planned development, subject only to a few limited
considerations for the future school site like street access and neighborhood proximity.
We are also open to the form of the deal—whether it’s a land swap, ground lease, or
some other vehicle for land transfer.
As your neighbor and partner, we therefore formally invite you to submit one or more
land transfer proposals for our consideration within the parameters discussed above.
We acknowledge that your process for community feedback and Council consensus
may take time, but we eagerly await the next step in Cubberley’s future.
Proposals can be submitted directly to Superintendent Don Austin for placement by the
Board’s Agenda Setting Committee on the Board’s agenda.
Respectfully,
Shounak Dharap
Board Trustee
On behalf of the Palo Alto Unified School District Board of Education*
*Duly authorized under Board Bylaw 9010 to communicate this letter on behalf of the
Board.
Item E
Attachment B-Letter from
PAUSD School Board to
City of Palo Alto re
Cubberley
Packet Pg. 11 of 23
Enrollment Trends and Options Ad Hoc Committee
March 28, 2023
1
Item E
Attachment C-PAUSD Enrollment
Trends & Options Ad Hoc Committee
Presentation
Packet Pg. 12 of 23
Enrollment Trends and Options Ad Hoc Committee
●Charge: Prepare a series of options to address declining enrollment through open
discussion and thoughtful debate that honors diverse perspectives for
consideration by the Board. Everything is up for consideration and thoughtful
debate.
●The committee was charged with preparing a series of “proposed options” to be
considered by the Board in 2024-25. Proposed options are NOT recommendations.
●Considerations: Declining enrollment is an issue that requires our attention. We
will either creatively address things like combination classes or embrace their
reality. School closures are a last resort, but are on the table without a sustainable
plan.
Ad Hoc -Enrollment Trend and Options March 28, 2023 | 3
Item E
Attachment C-PAUSD Enrollment
Trends & Options Ad Hoc Committee
Presentation
Packet Pg. 13 of 23
Enrollment Trends and Options Ad Hoc Committee
Members
●Parents, including PTAC
●Administrators: Elementary School Principals
and District Director
●Classified and Certificated Union Members
●City of Palo Alto Representative
●PAUSD Board Members
Ad Hoc -Enrollment Trend and Options March 28, 2023 | 3
Item E
Attachment C-PAUSD Enrollment
Trends & Options Ad Hoc Committee
Presentation
Packet Pg. 14 of 23
Committee Process
●Met five times from September 2022 to January 2023.
●Conducted bias check, reviewed historical background, and data regarding
declining enrollment.
●Brainstormed options and developed criteria through which to vet the options.
●Site leaders on the committee put forth some options to their staff for additional
feedback.
●The strengths and challenges of the options were discussed, leveraging the
vetting criteria developed by the committee. Through this process, the committee
reached consensus on selecting options to be considered by the Board.
September 11, 2019 | 4
Item E
Attachment C-PAUSD Enrollment
Trends & Options Ad Hoc Committee
Presentation
Packet Pg. 15 of 23
Proposed Options for Board Consideration:
The committee was charged with preparing a series of “proposed options” to be considered by the Board
in 2024-25. Proposed options are NOT recommendations.
●Consider adjusting/expanding residential boundaries
●Consider both embracing and eliminating combination classes
●Consider creating an early enrollment deadline and moving any new or late registrants to
schools with space
●Consider expanding language immersion programs
●Consider themed school model for Ohlone and Hoover where they would become
neighborhood schools with themes and hold a percentage of lottery seats
●Invite full-time Palo Alto City employees to bring their children to PAUSD through a lottery
system
●Barron Park and Briones function as one school with two campuses where one of the campuses
is the upper grades (3-5) and the other campus is the lower (TK-2) grades
●Reduce the FTE percentage required for PAUSD employees to bring their children to PAUSD
Ad Hoc -Enrollment Trend and Options March 28, 2023 | 5
Item E
Attachment C-PAUSD Enrollment
Trends & Options Ad Hoc Committee
Presentation
Packet Pg. 16 of 23
6
Item E
Attachment C-PAUSD Enrollment
Trends & Options Ad Hoc Committee
Presentation
Packet Pg. 17 of 23
Page 1 of 6
Regular Meeting
March 16, 2023
The City-School Liaison Committee of the City of Palo Alto met on this date in the Community
Meeting Room at 8:38 A.M.
Present: City of Palo Alto Representatives
Julie Lythcott-Haims, Chair, City of Palo Alto
Pat Burt, Council Member, City of Palo Alto
Chantal Cotton Gaines, Deputy City Manager, City of Palo Alto
Palo Alto Unified School District Representatives
Shounak Dharap, Board Member, Palo Alto Unified School District
Lana Conaway, Assistant Superintendent, Palo Alto Unified School District
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Julie Lythcott-Haims called the meeting to order and asked the staff present to introduce
themselves.
REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Open Forum/Public Communications
Ken Horowitz emphasized the importance of this committee in dealing with a lot of issues. He
wanted to know that there are discussions going on between the City and School Board
regarding Cubberley.
2. Minutes Approval
MOTION: Board Member Dharap moved, seconded by Council Member Burt, to approve
minutes from the February 16, 2023, meeting.
MOTION PASSED: 3-0
City/School Liaison Committee
Summary Meeting Minutes
Item G
March 16, 2023 Summary
Minutes
Packet Pg. 18 of 23
SUMMARY MINUTES
Page 2 of 6
(Sp.) City School Liaison Committee Meeting
Summary Minutes: 3/16/2023
Chair Julie Lythcott-Haims believed the minutes of the previous meeting did not convey enough
information or substance about the meeting.
Board Member Shounak Dharap stated there has been a struggle on the Board to strike a
balance between minutes that were too voluminous and bare bones.
Council Member Pat Burt questioned if committee meeting minutes were only action minutes.
Deputy City Clerk Vinh Nguyen stated action minutes are the official minutes of the record but
longer summary minutes are generally transcribed as well. In the past, summary minutes had
not been utilized for this committee but if the committee members wished summary minutes
to be transcribed, it could be arranged.
Chair Lythcott-Haims preferred to try having the summary minutes.
3. Updates
a. Palo Alto Unified School District
Assistant Superintendent Lana Conaway gave updates related to the priority areas in the school
district. There have been recent updates to the Board. There has been a heavy focus on
mental health, steadily building an in-house model to put putting services in the hands of
students. There are mental health associates at every elementary school, middle school
wellness centers, and high school. The goal moving into next year is to expand the program
and bring services by outside contractors inside. The biggest barrier to care is that students
have not developed trust with the provider and are less likely to seek out support when
necessary. Most exciting is a partnership with TDH, which provides 24/7 care for students on
demand. The goal is to have high-quality mental health therapists in the wellness centers at
each middle school to serve students. Work around literacy has been the biggest area of
success. There is an effort to shift the way reading is taught in attempt to boost literacy rates at
all levels. Healthy attendance has been the biggest challenge. The District is trying to identify
why students are not coming to school. There is concern about the impact of attendance rates
on mental health and academic achievement. Regarding equity, the SWIFT (Systemwide
Integrated Framework for Transformation) Plan was recently adopted with efforts toward
developing equity literacy, identifying culturally responsive and relevant ways to teach
students, and ensuring all students are thriving in the district.
Chair Julie Lythcott-Haims asked about the percentage of truancy.
Assistant Superintendent Conaway stated the measure used is chronic absenteeism, which
does not take into account the reason a student may be absent. It is difficult to tease apart
which part of the problem is truancy versus students who legitimately need to stay home.
There are a lot of factors, including caution about illness coming out of COVID and students
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taking initiative for mental health breaks. The work is to figure out the families that are
struggling across the board and determine the root cause to help support those families.
Board Member Shounak Dharap stated that many people move to Palo Alto for the schools.
Excellence in schools is important to all community members, and a debate about acceleration
has been ongoing for years. The Board has expressed an ironclad priority for equity and mental
health. He stated he had drafted a letter about Cubberley on behalf of the Board to the Mayor
and Vice Mayor. It was an invitation for proposals on Cubberley, laying out the District’s
position, constraints, and ideas. The District is happy to work with the City on a deal that meets
the constraints and desires of both. He was optimistic about that. The District desires to
preserve 20 of the 35 acres for a future school and cannot put a bond on the ballot to raise
money for a community center. There are viable options within those limits.
Deputy City Manager Chantal Cotton Gaines asked where the public would be able to see the
letter.
Board Member Dharap responded that it would be added to the Cubberley page on the
website.
Chair Lythcott-Haims questioned the impetus for the letter.
Board Member Dharap stated different board members may have different reasons but he felt
it was clear that one reason progress had not been made on Cubberley was that there had not
been a forum in which to have a real discussion about what the Board wants or needs.
Chair Lythcott-Haims felt the work toward mental health changes was a terrific improvement.
She asked how the City could strengthen this effort.
Assistant Superintendent Conaway stated it was important that families know there are
services available in the community. She felt any opportunity to talk about the importance of
focusing on mental health was important.
Council Member Pat Burt was surprised there was no mention of Project Safety Net, a forum
where all the different community agencies and entities involved with mental health and
suicide prevention have been collaborating. He felt that since PAUSD moved on their own
initiatives, their engagement with Project Safety Net has diminished over the years. This
program is already supported by the City and County, and the District is supposed to be a
partner. He suggested inviting Project Safety Net back for a substantive discussion about this.
Chair Lythcott-Haims believed that highlighted the fact there were myriad efforts and attempts
toward this issue: Project Safety Net, Youth Community Service, allcove, and other efforts. She
would love to see a table at the upcoming Palo Alto Youth Council’s Mental Health Fair in
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Mitchell Park where people can learn about the District’s wellness centers to create a greater
awareness of the network.
Council Member Burt felt the Board’s letter about Cubberley was valuable and gave necessary
clarity on the District’s constraints. He believed it was prudent to reserve the 20 acres for
future district needs.
Chair Lythcott-Haims praised the District for being number one in the nation.
b. City of Palo Alto
Council Member Pat Burt reported a big spike in utility costs this winter. The increase in gas
was tied to market fluctuations, and the cost increase on electric was because hydroelectric
power was not produced at traditional rates during the drought. The City is looking at means to
help bridge those costs for the District. Caltrain received its remaining $375M to complete the
electrification system, to be completed in a year and a half. The City also adopted a new
firearms regulation that restricts firearms in public facilities. It was enabled to include schools,
but the City will work with the District to have that as part of the program. A narrow majority
of Council supported prohibiting E-bikes from open space areas and next year will reconsider
allowing class 1 E-bikes and instead looking at speed limits for all bikes in open spaces. Mayor
Kou appointed an hoc committee with Stanford to work on a range of issues, including taxation
of faculty-owned housing.
Deputy City Manager Chantal Cotton Gaines updated on engagement opportunities. There is a
quiet zone study for Caltrain on March 23 at 6 P.M. at the Arrillaga Family Recreation Center.
At cityofpaloalto.org/engage, there are opportunities to provide feedback on several topics.
4. Presentation from the Safe Routes to School Team (Annual SRTS Report)
Safe Routes to School Coordinator Jose Palma shared an overview of the 2021-2022 school
year, the post pandemic response to parents, some PAUSD restrictions related to the
pandemic, education adjustments due to the pandemic, information about the new community
outreach tool, and an overview of outcomes and data trends. He reviewed the SRTS mission
and goals. During the pandemic, more parents were driving children to school. The SRTS staff
and PAUSD staff conducted walk and bike audits during the reopening periods to ensure biking
and walking to and from campus were improved. The pandemic also impacted parent
volunteers, and the Safe Routes program delivered education via online programs and Zoom.
Staff debuted a new rodeo scheduling software program. Outdoor education and materials
were provided at public parks and near schools. The SRTS partnership also implemented
several programs to support families from underrepresented and economically adverse
communities. He presented an update on the five-year plan, with 86% completion of year four
objectives. He reviewed travel data, including the PAUSD bike count percentages.
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Council Member Pat Burt highlighted the phenomenal progress made since 1985 with Safe
Routes to School.
Safe Routes to School Coordinator Palma explained that statistics for driving are higher than in
2021 district wide and listed factors contributing to driving. The next steps are a zero-waste
bike rodeo model, updated bike rodeo course maps, and supporting PTA volunteer recruitment.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Ashley Lien, parent of two elementary school students, appreciated the education for children
regarding pedestrian-bike safety and the bike rodeo teaching how to bike to school safely
together. Changing community habits is not easy, and the earlier children receive this
education, the more they can do this for their physical and mental health. It is also a good
opportunity for families to gather together.
Council Member Burt felt this was an outstanding program, a national model that many other
communities have used to drive their mode share programs for students to get to school in
safer, healthier ways. One of the Council priorities is public health and safety, and safety is
recognized as the primary inhibition to greater mode share adoption. The update of the Bicycle
and Pedestrian Transportation Plan is commencing, looking at all the programs, initiatives, and
capital investments toward improving those systems. He requested the District elevate its
commitment to participation in the BPTP and grade separations and in the SRTS program. Prior
to COVID, there was an increase every year in the percentage of students biking and walking to
school, and he wanted to get back on this path.
Board Member Shounak Dharap believed this was an opportunity for synergy between the
District and City. The District has committed to this ideal with the addition of bike racks and
making campuses more bike friendly. He hoped the 2021 dip was an anomaly and things would
start to pick up again over the next year or two.
Chair Julie Lythcott-Haims added that mental health is enhanced by getting out in nature,
exercising, and taking time to slow down on a bike or walking rather than riding in a car. There
are equity issues involved regarding who is more likely to be able to be driven in a vehicle
versus who has to walk or bike because parents are already at work. She stated that recently
being on a bicycle for the first time in ten years made her look at the city differently. She noted
the imperative to separate the train from the road is coming and that the City needs to get in
front of that so that kids can get to school in a timely fashion.
Council Member Burt suggested including studies about mental health in relation to riding into
the City’s and School District’s focus on mental health. The Climate Plan quantifies the mode
shift goal as part of greenhouse gas reduction, and increase in the biking percentage is needed
to hit goals. He acknowledged the importance of community volunteers as this program would
not have happened without them.
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Transportation Manager Sylvia Star-Lack noted that there is a City-School Transportation Safety
Committee where parent volunteers sit with city staff, PAUSD staff, police, and important
stakeholders. There will be opportunities for that committee to add its voice to the
development of the BPTP. Equity is one of the formal pillars of the SRTS program. In this
community, it is actually flipped in that it is often the most privileged who are able to bike.
Those who are unable are those who do not have access, cannot read the maps as it is not in
their language, or have to cross 101 and do not feel it is safe.
Safe Routes to School Coordinator Palma added that during the pandemic, he worked to
provide a Zoom PowerPoint explanation about the SRTS program for families who are English
learners. He is working to inform families about nonprofits that help provide bikes or helmets.
Council Member Burt mentioned the bridge over the creek at Newell, enabling biking for East
Palo Alto students, is due to be replaced starting in a year and short-term bus access may be
needed before returning to a safer and better bike route. He was interested in looking into E-
bike subsidies for low-income households. He felt E-bikes and 3-wheeled cargo bikes were a
bridge for many more people to have access and feel safe on bikes. Promoting that will be
important as they enable people with other needs to bike comfortably, easily, and safely.
5. Discussion of Committee Purpose and City-PAUSD Collaborations
Chair Julie Lythcott-Haims proposed carrying this item over to the next meeting.
6. Future Business
Discussion of Committee Purpose and City-PAUSD Collaborations will be carried over to the
next meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 A.M.
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