Castaic schools seeking kids

District turning to Realtors for help

In an effort to stem the tide of declining enrollment, the Castaic Union School District is turning to local real estate agents for help.

Six RE/MAX agents who work in the Santa Clarita Valley toured Northlake Hills and Castaic elementary schools recently.

The tour highlighted the schools’ educational programs, campuses and technology. The visitors saw a demonstration of smartboards in the classrooms.

Real estate agent Terri O’Brien said she was impressed with both schools that she toured Thursday. She said many homebuyers come from the San Fernando Valley where they enrolled their children in private schools.

“When you’re moving out this way, you don’t need to put your kids in private schools,” she said. “The majority of buyers

that I look with, when they’re here, it’s because they’re looking for good schools.”

Charmin Ortega, executive assistant to the superintendent, said the district hopes real estate agents will talk about their schools to homebuyers.

“We are a competitive school district, and we have beautiful campuses,” Ortega said. “We’re hoping when they start looking this way, they’ll want to move out here because of the schools.”

Castaic Union used a network of real estate agents to send invitations to tour the school. The agents will be invited back next month to see Castaic Middle School and Live Oak Elementary School. Ortega said they also plan to create brochures that real estate agents can give to prospective buyers.

Principals also welcome parents of prospective students on the school campuses anytime they want to visit.

Addressing declining enrollment has been a priority for Castaic Union, and administrators have been discussing cost- effective ways to attract families with children.

“It was something that we’ve been talking about with the declining enrollment being so difficult on our district,” Ortega said. “We’re trying to think of creative ideas to help promote our schools, and we don’t have a lot of money for that right now.”

Ortega said the district has lost several hundred students in the last few years. At the start of the current school year, the district had 2,363 students — 193 students fewer than at the same point a year earlier, according to figures provided by the district at the time. Ortega said they project a decrease of at least 100 students next year.

As an example, Ortega said Northlake Hills was full after it opened 13 years ago, but now, the school is unable to utilize some classrooms due to a lack of students.

O’Brien said she believes enrollment is declining because families that move into Castaic do not move out very often. Families continue living in the same homes after their children are grown, so graduating students are not being replaced.

“We’re just in a cycle, but I think it’s changing,” she said.

Castaic Union is not alone in losing students. School districts in the Santa Clarita Valley have seen steady enrollment declines since 2008. Since public school funding in California is largely based on average daily attendance, declining enrollment directly affects a district’s budget.

Ortega said the district has had a good year despite budget restraints, but if enrollment continues to decline, programs may suffer.

“It’s really affected our budget, and it makes it hard for us to maintain these programs,” she said. “Fortunately, we have a really strong volunteer base of parents that help out.”