Friday, August 28, 2009

Mountain Housers on edge for school nod

Justin Lafferty reports in the Press that the next step in the unification process for Mountian House's Lammersville School District is up to the county. Then it's on to the voters.

(Quick refresher: Unification means that Lammersville School District would have its own high school, thereby actually breaking away from Tracy Unified School District, which now schools Lammersville's high school-age students.)

Once the county approves the unification -- which I'm willing to be will happen -- Lammersville voters will have the chance to OK the move.

Given the independent spirit of those in Mountain House, I'd be shocked if unification didn't pass handily.

There also could be a hidden benefit to Tracy Unified. Though TUSD would initially lose a significant amount of money when Mountain House-based students no longer attend Tracy schools, it could ensure that overcrowding in Tracy will not be an issue for many years.

Tracy's third comprehensive high school, Kimball, eased overcrowding at West and Tracy High schools. The departure of MH kids from the Tracy Unified fold -- in addition to fostering that windswept community's sense of pride -- will further thin the ranks at those schools, indirectly making the investment at Kimball last longer.

How's that for silver lining?

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