ICOE board rejects Imagine petition
EL CENTRO — Imagine Schools will not be reopening this year under any name or any condition, the Imperial County Office of Education Board of Trustees decided Monday.
The petition to reopen the former Imagine Schools of Imperial Valley under the name Imagine Schools Imperial County was rejected by a 3-2 vote.
In two packed rooms with standing room only, the people opposing the charter school were outnumbered by about 20 to 1 by the school’s supporters.
Board member Annette Buttner made the motion to deny the petition, and after board member Victor Jaime seconded the motion, Board President Sharon Anderholt cast the deciding vote.
Jaime said it was not an easy decision and wondered what would have happened to public school’s funding if the Imagine School’s petition had been approved.
“We are a poor community,” he said, mentioning some of the money would have been diverted from the public school for the charter school.
“How much of it is leaving Imperial County?” he asked. “This was not an easy decision. It weighed heavily on me.”
He also said there were no substantial changes with the charter school proposal, compared with its previous one.
Buttner said she did not think those in favor of the Imagine charter school understood the local benefit the public schools would have been losing.
The charter school resolutions, she said, are different from public schools, and added there was no plan for any fundraisers. She also said the charter school proposal had too many problems.
“There is no way in good conscience I could vote for this,” she said. “It’s not right.”
Anderholt, who said she received a lot of input from the community on the petition, talked about the high teacher turnover at the previous Imagine school.
“It was a tough choice for me,” she said. “I know kids don’t want to leave their school. “
Anderholt said public schools will now have to step up to the mark, but added she did not see the charter school employing highly qualified teachers with credentials.
“My heart is with all of you. I know it’s not a popular decision,” she said.
Board member Mark Ramirez said he felt terrible for parents and students who wanted to return to the charter school.
“They have a right to send their kids to the school they want,” he said.
He also said the charter school had agreed to abide by several conditions that were easily enforceable.
Board member Alicia Armenta said she received a lot of calls and decided to vote in favor of the charter school once the charter school agreed to the conditions. She also said the parents’ voice, to her, was an important factor in her vote.
Barbara McAndrews, an El Centro teacher told the board she knows what is good for kids, and Imagine is not good for students.
She asked the supporters of the petition to take the same passion they have shown with the petition to the local schools their children attend.
She also said those employees who would have worked at Imagine not only don’t like the union, they will not join.
“Our public educators need to be listened to,” she said.
Patricia Dunnam, an El Centro board member and teacher, said the turnover at Imagine was way too high which affects students.
“I like kids, and I will do everything I can for kids,” Dunnam said.
Arturo Sanchez said all the parents want is for their children to learn and be happy.
“They want to return to Imagine, the school they love,” he said. “We are Imagine family.”
Yaneth Garcia asked what the fear was for reopening Imagine.
“We should have the right (to decide) where our students learn?” she said. “Please vote yes, because this will return the joy to the students here and end the suffering.”
Student Miranda Pacheco attended Imagine and said she was devastated when it closed and wanted the school to reopen.
Imperial County Supervisor Ray Castillo said what works for some kids might not work for other students, and it truly was disheartening to see two groups competing for students and the money attached to them.
He also Imagine Charter School is an alternative to many students who need something different.
“Make no mistake the availability of another educational option in the Valley is in the best interest of this community,” he said. “Denial of Imagine is not.”
The rejected petition would have established a transitional kindergarten through eighthgrade campus to provide students the opportunity to enroll in a dual-language immersion program or a traditional curriculum for grades 3 to 8.
As a countywide charter, it would not have been restricted to giving enrollment preferences to students from one particular local school district. Instead, by petitioning ICOE it sought to provide all of the county’s residents with “equal footing” to be able to enroll their children.
Imagine Schools Imperial County also planned to establish additional campuses throughout the Valley, Its inaugural campus would have been located at the same site that housed the former Imagine Schools of Imperial Valley in El Centro.
“Based on market surveys, the founding group determined that while families are willing to drive some distance for a high-quality Spanish dual immersion option, there is also sufficiently strong demand throughout Imperial County to eventually sustain multiple ISIC campuses,” the ISIC petition stated.
The former ISIV campus closed down after it unsuccessfully petitioned to have its charter renewed in 2018. Initially, ISIV’s petition for charter renewal was denied by the El Centro Elementary School District in January 2018 as a result of concerns about the campus’ poor academic performance record. “
“What you are seeing unfold is a separation of power between the elected Superintendent of Schools and the elected Board of Education,” said ICOE Superintendent Dr. Todd Finnell, whose office recommended Imagine’s charter approval. “While they did not go along with our recommendation, I have to accept their decision. My hope is that we never lose sight of the kids and families that are affected.”