Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
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What exactly is "Option 8" and how does it affect Los Alamitos?
What exactly is "Option 8" and how does it affect Los Alamitos?
Option 8 is the final boundary map proposed by the District’s STIC committee.
It includes a last-minute addition to the Los Alamitos Elementary boundary, forcing over 100 new students to commute to our campus instead of attending a much closer neighborhood school.
Link to the 2020 census data used to estimate 100-150 student impact over the coming years. (FIPS: 060855119152)
Per the San José Unified Elementary School Quick Facts, Almaden Elementary only has an enrollment of 321 students vs. Los Alamitos at 615.
Relevant Census Data from FIPS: 060855119152:
Males under 5 years: 52
Males 5 to 9 years: 59
Males 10 to 14 years: 75
Females under 5 years: 48
Females 5 to 9 years: 54
Females 10 to 14 years: 48
Schools of Tomorrow Committee proposed boundaries (with rough image highlighting the proposal).
What isn't included in the District's projected enrollment?
What isn't included in the District's projected enrollment?
The option 8: 7-year projection data shows only 608 enrolled students at Los Alamitos but doesn't seem to account for the 100 transfer students we have today in the future or likely the new multi-family developments within our existing school boundary, e.g. 244 units at the Southridge Church: Project No. H23-019).
The board and schools of tomorrow commitee has been emailed seeking clarification if there is a policy change regarding future transfer students and if the planned H23-019 development is included in student enrollment projections. If not, this could add 150+ students to Los Alamitos, pushing enrollment to around 750.
What could be the impact of this boundary change?
What could be the impact of this boundary change?
If this addition passes, Los Alamitos could be pushed toward a "mega-school" capacity of over 750 students in the coming years.
If this happened it would overwhelm Los Alamitos aging 1974 core infrastructure. It means an immediate increase in neighborhood traffic, massively overcrowded drop-off lines, and severe strain on our cafeteria, library, and restrooms.
If enrollment increases substantially, it degrades the educational experience for every child who is on campus.
Why is the new boundary line physically unsafe?
Why is the new boundary line physically unsafe?
The proposed map forces local children to commute 2 miles across heavily trafficked, high-speed streets to reach Los Alamitos.
This completely strips those families of the ability to safely walk or bike to school, creating a daily traffic hazard for the neighborhood and a permanent transportation headache for working parents.
Almaden Elementary vs commute to Los Alamitos Elementary
Is there a better alternative for these students?
Is there a better alternative for these students?
Yes. Almaden Elementary has significantly lower campus enrollment (321 students) that sits just 0.7-0.8 miles away from the affected neighborhood.
Routing these students to Almaden keeps their commute under a mile, allows for safe walking routes, utilizing existing resources, and prevents Los Alamitos from being potentially pushed past its STAC-defined ideal capacity limits.
Does Option 8 cost the District money?
Does Option 8 cost the District money?
By bypassing a walkable school (0.8 miles) to force a driving commute (2 miles), the District may be taking on permanent, unfunded busing and transportation liabilities and/or increase traffic.
This violates the fiscal transparency and responsible facility planning mandated by SJUSD’s own policies (BP 3100 and AR 3541).
The final vote is on March 26. Isn't it too late to change the map?
The final vote is on March 26. Isn't it too late to change the map?
The Board of Education has the authority to introduce "micro-amendments" to the map before the final vote.
We are not here to ask the Board to start from scratch. We are here to offer an amendment to the STIC map that corrects a single, flawed boundary line and replaces it with a safer, more efficient, and policy-compliant alternative.
What can I do right now to help stop this?
What can I do right now to help stop this?
Use the buttons on this page to sign our community petition to email the Board of Education and the Superintendent.
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