SHAFTER, CA -- The city of Shafter is one step closer to forming its own unified school district. School district officials said Shafter High School passed the state tests to break away from Kern High School District and form a new school district with other Shafter schools.
Both the Kern High School District and the Richland School District put together the feasibility study, which said Shafter has the money and resources to take on Shafter High School.
The city of Shafter has four K-8 schools under its Richland School District. Its one high school belongs to the Kern High School District.
A push by parents and Richland School District officials puts the city closer to unifying all of Shafter's schools.
"We have fine schools, no doubt it, but the performance the students have been achieving is not what we want," said long-time Shafter resident Gary Ingle.
"Richland is improving with their testing and we're really happy about that. Shafter High School? Not so much.
The state has nine basic criteria to determine if a new school district has what it takes to be successful. According to the newly released study, Shafter met all nine and with a calculated $18.7 million in potential revenue, the new district would sustain itself.
"The idea of unification would be to add additional teachers to keep class sizes down," said Richland School District superintendent Dr. Ken Bergevin.
"As far as security, we would enter into an agreement with the city of Shafter whose police department is outstanding."
Several Shafter High School teachers, however, worried about how switching school districts would affect their salaries, benefits, and promotion options.
"But the bad thing is, we'd lose a bunch of good teachers here if they don't get paid what they want," said Shafter High School senior Frank Arraola.
Richland School District administrators said the only one who doesn't have job security is the superintendent. A newly created school district would have to be formed, which means Bergevin would be out of a job and the current Richland Board of Trustees would have to run for election again.
Bergevin said the unification isn't about his career or the unions, but about improving education for Shafter's students.
The next step would be presentations to both the Richland and Kern High School Boards of Trustees. If the project gets approval, it'll move for approval by the Kern County Committee for School District Organization, which will decide if it will go on the November ballot.
Both the Kern High School District and the Richland School District put together the feasibility study, which said Shafter has the money and resources to take on Shafter High School.
The city of Shafter has four K-8 schools under its Richland School District. Its one high school belongs to the Kern High School District.
A push by parents and Richland School District officials puts the city closer to unifying all of Shafter's schools.
"We have fine schools, no doubt it, but the performance the students have been achieving is not what we want," said long-time Shafter resident Gary Ingle.
"Richland is improving with their testing and we're really happy about that. Shafter High School? Not so much.
The state has nine basic criteria to determine if a new school district has what it takes to be successful. According to the newly released study, Shafter met all nine and with a calculated $18.7 million in potential revenue, the new district would sustain itself.
"The idea of unification would be to add additional teachers to keep class sizes down," said Richland School District superintendent Dr. Ken Bergevin.
"As far as security, we would enter into an agreement with the city of Shafter whose police department is outstanding."
Several Shafter High School teachers, however, worried about how switching school districts would affect their salaries, benefits, and promotion options.
"But the bad thing is, we'd lose a bunch of good teachers here if they don't get paid what they want," said Shafter High School senior Frank Arraola.
Richland School District administrators said the only one who doesn't have job security is the superintendent. A newly created school district would have to be formed, which means Bergevin would be out of a job and the current Richland Board of Trustees would have to run for election again.
Bergevin said the unification isn't about his career or the unions, but about improving education for Shafter's students.
The next step would be presentations to both the Richland and Kern High School Boards of Trustees. If the project gets approval, it'll move for approval by the Kern County Committee for School District Organization, which will decide if it will go on the November ballot.