District considers allowing enrollment perk for six-hour workers

Laguna Beach Unified is considering a change that would allow employees who work six hours a day to enroll their children in district schools.

The current policy allows teachers or classified staff who live outside district boundaries but work eight hours a day to enroll their children in one of the four schools. Assistant Supt. of Business Services Dean West said the change was proposed after a couple of employees requested it.

Trustees declined to vote on the matter Tuesday but promised to continue the discussion.

“Some librarians felt they worked a full student day and that was the max they could work,” West said.

Under the current policy, 16 employees out of an eligible 225 who live outside district boundaries enroll 26 children in Laguna Beach Unified schools, West told the board.

If the threshold was lowered to six hours, 18 additional employees would be eligible, he said.

It’s difficult to calculate the cost to the district of a policy revision, West said.

“We don’t know if they have kids or want to bring their kids,” he said.

Trustee William Landsiedel said he is concerned that district schools may not be able to handle the additional enrollment and wondered if the economic value of a district education could diminish with more students but no added revenue from property taxes.

Laguna Beach Unified is considered a basic-aid district, meaning local property tax revenue exceeds funding that the state would provide.

“We had projections a year ago, and all the demographics are going up and up,” Landsiedel said. “If a group of people came in with a lot of kids, this cost could be significant.”

The district might need to hire another special-needs teacher to account for added students, he said.

Trustee Ketta Brown favored the proposed change.

“In my mind, I thought a benefit meant you got all the benefits, including perks,” Brown said. “If we look at attracting and retaining the highest-performing employees, if this is something we can do to make their lives more functional, I’m for it.”

Employees who work six hours a day are eligible for medical and dental insurance, and this would not be affected by the proposed change, West said.

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New board president and clerk

Also Tuesday, trustees unanimously appointed Brown school board president for the next year, while William Landsiedel will be the new board clerk.

Brown replaces Jan Vickers, who remains on the five-member board, which includes Carol Normandin and Dee Perry, who presided over their first meeting.

“I’m so happy and grateful to be here and excited about this wonderful district and will help make it even more wonderful,” said Perry, who taught in Laguna Beach Unified for 35 years.