HUNTINGTON BEACH UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT WRAP-UP

Angelique Flores

ISSUE: 2000-2001 BUDGET

Vote: 4-1, with trustee Matthew Harper dissenting

Summary: On June 27, the school board approved the budget for next

school year. The budget includes a total revenue of nearly $104.1

million.

ISSUE: SURPLUS VEHICLES

Vote: 5-0

Summary: The board voted to allow the district to dispose of six

surplus and obsolete vehicles by way of a public auction through

Nationwide Auctioneers. Among the vehicles to be auctioned are two 1998

Chevy Caprices, a 1985 Dodge pickup and three electric carts.

ISSUE: CLASS-SIZE REDUCTION

Vote: None

Summary: Consultant Arlene Hartry and Jerry White, the district’s

director of curriculum, presented a yearlong study of class-size

reduction to the board. Ninth-grade English classes at Ocean View and

Marina high schools were reduced to a student-to-teacher ratio of 20 to 1

as part of the study group. The other schools were kept as a control

group, officials said. The students were tested at the beginning and the

end of the school year and assessed in reading and writing. They were

also observed in the classroom and given questionnaires.

Hartry said the study found that the students enjoy English more in

smaller classes where there is more one-to-one assistance from the

teachers. The study also showed that students have more opportunity for

participation and that more work can be done in small groups.

Hartry told the board that one year was not enough to study the

differences.

The district plans to continue to study the classes next year and

include Westminster High School as part of the study group.