La Canada Unified School District (LCUSD): Sagebrush – Summary of Mitigation Options

The “Sagebrush” area, in the northwest corner of the City of La Cañada Flintridge, consists of approximately 900 residential parcels generating over 300 K-12 students. Homes in the Sagebrush area fall within the boundaries of Glendale Unified School District (GUSD). Since the 1960s residents of the Sagebrush territory have pursued transferring from the GUSD to the La Cañada Unified School District (LCUSD). Once again, in 2013, community members initiated an effort to transfer the Sagebrush territory to LCUSD. GUSD and LCUSD, in consultation with the City of La Cañada Flintridge, agreed to examine an amicable pathway to achieve the community’s goal through a negotiated agreement that could be supported by both school districts. At one point an agreement was formulated which contemplated the gradual transition of students as part of a territory transfer from GUSD to LCUSD in conjunction with certain other mitigation measures. However, due to education code limitations on enforcement of a gradual transition, this type of agreement was not viable.

In July of 2015 the school districts again agreed to explore all viable options which might form the basis of a mutually agreeable transfer of the Sagebrush territory. Representatives met through the summer and fall and a list of all potential mitigation options was developed. Many of the concepts on the mitigation list had been previously explored. Some had been rejected and others were deemed not viable. However, the desire of the group was to reexamine all possibilities in the quest for an agreement that could effectuate the transfer with equitable mitigation of fiscal impacts.

After extensive study the parties have concluded even a combination of mitigation strategies would require additional resources, and would need to be identified, developed and approved via a means other than a negotiated agreement between LCUSD and GUSD. The full joint study report, including all possible mitigation options, can be found on the link below.

https://d3jc3ahdjad7x7.cloudfront.net/hDu0xw5KGSZAY2WKQnEj4Dy9ZMv6nZbHd2fxJVHIcm0jYM9A.pdf

La Canada Unified School District (LCUSD), 4490 Cornishon Ave., La Cañada Flintridge, (818) 952-8300 or visit www.lcusd.net.