The Pasadena Unified School District Superintendent’s School Consolidation Advisory Committee is set to hold its fifth of seven meetings Monday, April 13, where it will be presented with consolidation scenarios by a third-party consultant.
That consultant, Total School Solutions, entered a contract agreement not to exceed $233,300 with PUSD earlier this year and has been moderating the committee’s meeting. At each of the previous four meeting, Total School Solutions has been presenting data and metrics on district schools.
During the group discussion portion of the March 31 meeting, the group decided that rather than continuing to vote to remove schools from consideration for closure, to have the consultant present options for the committee in addition to the remaining metrics Total School Solutions had planned to present.
As part of its previous meeting plan, the committee voted to remove the following schools from consideration for closure: Sierra Madre Elementary, Madison Elementary, Mary W. Jackson Steam, CIS Academy, John Muir High School, Pasadena High School, Rose City High School, Sierra Madre Middle School and Octavia E. Butler Magnet.
Protesters from multiple school communities stood outside the district office on March 31, protesting the possibility of school closures. Inside the meeting room, students and parents held up signs with the same message in the audience viewing area.
In addition to the committee’s work, PUSD conducted a community survey and held a virtual town hall to garner feedback and shed light on the process. An in-person town hall is expected later this spring, but has not been scheduled as of this week.
Monday’s meeting will begin at 5 p.m. at 351 S. Hudson Ave., Room 151.