The final feasibility report for unification has been issued. The unification problems cited dictate the commission should not move forward on a unification vote.
The feasibility report recommends that the additional high school students will be housed at Adolfo Camarillo High School. We cannot accommodate 1,500 more students with our current infrastructure. At present, it is very difficult to navigate the main hall and the rest of the campus during passing periods. The traffic congestion in front of the school is unbearable after 7:30 a.m. Our restrooms, though remodeled, will not accommodate more students. In the cafeteria, many students currently wait in line 20 minutes of their 40-minute lunch period to get food.
Adding 1,500 students would compound the existing problem and result in multiple lunch periods. Even with new portables, our quality of life would deteriorate markedly with the additional students.
Passing the bond measure last year insured a new high school campus will be built in Camarillo. Why would Camarillo taxpayers want to pay additional monies for a new high school when Oxnard Union High School District will fully pay for the new school out of bond funds? It is time for all taxpayers in OUHSD to pay for Camarillo’s new high school.
A misconception exists that the new Camarillo district, should it be formed, will have more average daily attendance than Pleasant Valley’s K-8 district does now, and, therefore, Camarillo High School will have the same ADA funds available — or perhaps more — with unification. That is not true.
High school districts have higher ADAs than unified districts or elementary districts. If unification did take place, Camarillo High School will get less ADA than it does now, as the ADA for the K-12 district will be split among schools. Even with the higher ADA that OUHSD currently gets, Camarillo High School still does not have funds for field trips, teachers attending conferences or supplies.
Less ADA due to unification means fewer dollars for Adolfo Camarillo High School.
Unification is not the answer.
— Carol Evans, Chairwoman, Business & Technology Department,
Oxnard Union High School District,
Camarillo
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