Year-Round Schools Delayed Till 1993-94 : Education: Decision a relief to some parents. Board of Education votes 5 to 0 to seek state funds to plan all-year schooling at three elementary schools.

By RICHARD WINTON

Feb. 27, 1992 12 AM PT

SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

PASADENA — Responding to concerns raised by parents, the Pasadena Board of Education on Tuesday decided to delay year-round education in the district until the 1993-94 academic year,

Instead, the board voted 5 to 0 to seek state funds to plan year-round education at Madison, Cleveland and Willard elementary schools starting in 1993.

“Year-round education makes sense,” said George Van Alstine, board vice president. “But in the short term, we are talking trouble. . . . The board has not dealt with issues of child care and families with children on different schedules.”

School officials say the district must eventually convert some of its campuses to year-round schools because of overcrowding. The district has 21,985 students and is growing at the rate of 300 students per year. Already, 10 of the 21 elementary schools are over 100% of their ideal enrollment, district officials said.

Tuesday’s decision came as a relief for the 100 parents who crowded into the boardroom. They complained that the board was trying to implement year-round schools without fully informing them of the plan and its consequences.

“Parents are still confused,” said Henry Reade, president of the Madison School PTA. “They want to see something on paper.”

Also Tuesday, the board capped enrollment at Madison, Willard, Cleveland, Longfellow and Jefferson elementary schools. This means that the schools will accept no additional students unless they have siblings already at the school. Other children in those areas will be bused to the nearest schools.

The board also instructed its task force of parents, teachers and administrators to draw up a plan and timetable to make all Pasadena schools year-round.

In a typical year-round school, the student body is divided into four tracks, with each track having vacation at different times of the year. Three tracks are in session while one is on vacation.