Monrovia School District plans to close one of its two middle schools in the 2026-27 fiscal year and cut staff (27 teachers and two administrators by July 1, and more later) to bring its expenses in line with its income. Here is the district's statement:
The district is right-sizing its certificated teaching staff and administration to match the decline of students. As of July 1, 2025, twenty-seven (27) teaching FTE, primarily at the secondary level (15), will be attrited or terminated, along with two administrators. In 2026-27, the district will consolidate middle school to one campus, with a potential savings of $750K. Other reductions to personnel will be due to the continued decline in student enrollment. The loss of FTE from 2025-26 to 2026-27, will be approximately 4 additional teaching staff, 2 additional administrators, and 5 classified. The ongoing effect of the 2025-26 action is a reduction of approximately $4M, and the 2026-27 action is approximately $1.2M, totalling a reduction of $6.2M of ongoing reductions over the two years.
- Brad Haugaard
Except … the Board of Education hasn’t taken official action. That is scheduled for Tuesday, 12/17/24 at 6:30pm.
ReplyDeleteStill waiting to see how bond money gets used.
ReplyDeleteIf they close Mayflower, parents from northern part aren’t going to send their kids to Santa Fe further lowering amount of students in the district.
Mayflower location also more appealing for a charter school to takeover. Asian school on California and wild rose can move in.
Sorry meant Clifton
DeleteThey aren’t closing elementary schools & in fact with 6 th graders on campus the classrooms & teachers will be needed. I think they’ll close Sante Fe and that land is more easily sold to businesses etc. Clifton is more centralized but needs real money to be put in. Interestingly enough, this is happening all over the country. Family in Nashville are experiencing the same.
ReplyDeleteIt’s what happens when you can’t stick to a budget.
ReplyDelete100% correct
DeleteThis is because enrollment is down. When you “budget” long term for students that don’t come.. you are short. And it’s happening nationwide. It’s happened before but not for as extended a time.
DeleteThis is ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI wonder where all the money is going on staff? Oh wait, there’s a website for that… https://transparentcalifornia.com/salaries/school-districts/los-angeles/monrovia-unified/
ReplyDeleteWhat did you think would happen? Pawn shop owner and board members that have no idea about education running around with political agendas.
ReplyDeletePlay stupid games and win stupid prizes…
Everything is always about money. Follow the money train.
DeleteLower student numbers = less money and less need for schools. Makes sense. Part of life and with lower # of kids per couple
ReplyDeleteJust sad to see schools close and people have to move jobs
Monrovia has so many ADU’s beening built. Before you can build you have to pay a percentage to the school district! Where does all the money go?
ReplyDeleteThere were two open seats for the school board. NO ONE VOLUNTEERED. Think about that before complaining.
ReplyDeleteDid anyone say which middle school will be closed?
ReplyDeleteNo - Brad
DeleteThere are actually a lot of people in this community that donate their time. If you are in those circles, you will meet a lot of people and see a large percentage of people that volunteer at more than one organization or cause. School board becomes politicized and some people don’t want their name associated with it. Doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t have a voice in matters like this
ReplyDeleteHeard about this two weeks ago from a source at the district. Said Santa Fe and Bradoaks would be closing, other elementary schools going K-6, Clifton 7-8, MHS unchanged. Thought it was just speculation but looking more possible now. As a parent with kids in the district at all three levels, class sizes are very small at the elementary and middle schools. It makes financial sense and yes, young families are not moving into Monrovia like they used to. When it costs over $1m for a 2 bedroom home that needs work, you aren’t going to find many young families who could afford that, let alone bigger.
ReplyDeleteIt has to be due to low birth rate. People aren’t having as much children as before. Everything has slowly gone up in price as well. Raising children has become so much harder. Add that plus living cost! Like another commenter said, you want a smaller class size. But when you get it, it cost too much so let’s close the school… 🤦🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
ReplyDeleteI took my 3 kids out of Monrovia schools and put them in private school. They were bored to tears academically and bullying was never addressed. Now my kids get subjects like history, geography, science, penmanship, music and art in their elementary school in addition to having PE every day and still get Spanish too. The pubic school really had nothing to offer except basic literacy and math, only getting art or music once a month and PE once a week. My middle schooler is in an environment where bullying is not tolerated and gets drama, music, latin and sports every day.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how many people were just dissatisfied with the schools and how many had to move for financial reasons, but maybe improving what the schools offer would help.
We left for same reasons. The “specialized programs/schools” like coding, art or dual immersion were laughable.
ReplyDeleteWhat’s the average Monrovia middle school student to teacher ratio now and after the merge?
ReplyDelete