Children of Coronado Unified employees, high school students and children of active-duty military members, in that order, may be given priority among students applying to attend school in Coronado while living outside the district boundaries.
Coronado Unified School District trustees will vote on proposed revisions to its policy on interdistrict attendance at their meeting on May 21.
Board policy 5117 and the accompanying regulation are being amended as the district plans for a new funding model shifting away from the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF).
Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, CUSD expects to become a basic aid school district relying on local property taxes, during which funding will not depend on enrollment and student attendance.
“Once we’re in basic aid, all revenue we receive is directly connected to property tax and that revenue stream does not follow that child through our system,” said Superintendent Karl Mueller last month.
In an annual state-of-the-district presentation earlier this year, Mueller highlighted the move toward lower class sizes under the new funding system, as well as changes to CUSD’s interdistrict transfer philosophy.
The governing board discussed changes to guidelines for non-Coronado students attending the city’s public schools on March 3.
“Our objective is to grandfather in all students, second graders through graduation, as long as they are in compliance with the interdistrict transfer contract, and that outlines expectations for attendance, behavior, and academics,” said Mueller. “So if they’re in good standing and they reapply… while we may not be accepting new interdistrict transfers, we will honor those who have been within our district as they progress through our system.”
Changes in language
Mueller said all interdistrict transfers must reapply at specific grade levels, such as 5th- to 6th-grade and 8th- to 9th-grade.
The regulation maintains that priority for interdistrict attendance shall be given to students who are victims of bullying, as determined by either district.
After revisions the regulation reads: “The superintendent or designee shall be responsible for annually determining the appropriate class size in each grade served by the district. To ensure adequate space and resources are available for students who reside within the district and begin attending school after the commencement of the school year, the superintendent or designee may deny requests for interdistrict attendance permits before the maximum class size has been reached.”
Mueller noted that acceptance is based on available space within the schools as the district looks to sustain current enrollment at the high school, preserve transitional kindergarten, and shrink down enrollment and class sizes in transitional kindergarten through 8th grade.
Trustee Malachy Sandie expressed support for CUSD’s transitional kindergarten.
“Transitional kindergarten, I don’t think it’s a requirement, … It does, in my opinion, feed into preparing our children for higher education careers in society,” said Sandie.
The next regular board meeting is set for 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 21 at the district office.
