Proposed Public School at CSUN

The recent proposal for the Los Angeles Unified School District to explore siting a special, 800-student academy high school on the Cal State Northridge campus represents an important educational milestone for the San Fernando Valley, local parents and students, and the university.

At a time when nearby Valley high schools are bursting with thousands of students each, we have an opportunity here to not only help reduce overcrowding at those campuses, but also to create a brand new high school with a much smaller enrollment focused on preparing local students for future careers as teachers.

The proposed academy high school would be the only one in the LAUSD located on a university campus, creating unique opportunities for the high school students and for collaboration between their teachers and CSUN’s university faculty. The result should be an educational program stressing high achievement, excellence and cutting-edge techniques.

Before such a school can be built, the proposal will undergo reviews by the school district and the Cal State system and trustees. The LAUSD’s environmental review will include attention to mitigating impacts the development of the new school might create. Thus in the end, the result should be a project of which both the university and the community can be proud.

JOHN CHANDLER

Public Affairs Director

Cal State Northridge