School district in Ventura County, California
Simi Valley Unified School District (SVUSD) is a school district in Ventura County, California. The district serves students from the city of Simi Valley, the census-designated place of Santa Susana, and other adjacent unincorporated areas. SVUSD operates 18 elementary schools, three middle schools, four high schools (including two comprehensive schools, one magnet school, and one continuation school), one adult school, and one independent study school.[2] During the 2014–15 school year, the district's enrollment numbered about 18,000. The current superintendent is Dr. Hani Youssef, who has served since July 2022.
History
Ninth grade move to high schools, Santa Susana High opening
Throughout its early history, the Simi Valley Unified School District educated ninth graders at its junior high schools. This changed in the mid-1990s, when the school board approved a controversial plan to move ninth graders to its high schools. To offset the lower enrollment at the junior high schools, the district converted one of the then four junior high campuses into a magnet high school.[3] Sequoia Junior High School reopened as Santa Susana High School in 1996.
Declining enrollment and school closures
Beginning in 1995, the Simi Valley Unified School District considered closing schools due to what was then early on-set declining enrollment. Simi Elementary School, in the 1990s, was already considered first for school closure due to high maintenance costs and its small size.[4] Other schools considered at the time were Sycamore, Mountain View, and Justin elementary schools. Ultimately, the district voted to not close any school due to backlash from the community, as they had previously closed four schools prior in the 1980s.[4]
Enrollment declines in Simi Valley and the state of California continued into the 2000s. Following a peak of 22,000 in 2003, the number of students in the district reduced to 18,000 in 2013. In response, a committee consisting of administrators, teachers, parents, and community members recommended closing three schools.[5] On January 14, 2014, after hearing public testimony, the committee decided not to close any schools and disbanded.
On January 31, 2014, Simi Elementary School was notified of possible relocation of the school due to the overall condition and safety of the campus. The school was built in 1926 as the first in Simi Valley; Ventura County has named it a Historical Landmark.[6][note 1] The issues at hand regarding the facility and infrastructure are:
- Broken water mains
- Possible broken sewer line under a classroom which has caused the floor to sink
- Gas lines underground which are old and brittle causing periodic gas leaks
- Deteriorating roofs
- A septic tank which is in danger of collapsing
- Potential asbestos
- Potential rust in water lines
- Potential mold
- Potential lead
The Inspection was contracted through LI & Associates, Inc.[7] who has been monitoring the infrastructure and safety of the school since November 12, 2012. In the latest report dated January 7, 2014, the company, regarding the administrative building, stated, "During process of our seismic retrofit design on this building, we learned that this building does not have a valid DSA permit.[note 2] Therefore, this building cannot be used by student per California State regulations."[citation needed]
Due to the cost of needed repairs to the Simi Elementary campus, SVUSD decided to close Simi Elementary.[9] On February 4, 2014, the board voted 4–1 to relocate Simi Elementary to the Mountain View Elementary campus as of February 18, 2014; the school continued to function as a separate school until the end of the 2013–14 school year.[10]
In the fall of the 2014-15 school year, SVUSD made a recommendation to close Abraham Lincoln and Justin elementary schools due to a decline in enrollment and approved the closure in January 2015.[11] Monte Vista School is using the Lincoln campus and Justin
Early Learners Academy is using the Justin campus.[citation needed]
Random drug testing
The SVUSD board voted in 2014 to offer random drug testing of high school students whose parents or legal guardians voluntarily sign them up. In 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of mandatory drug testing by public schools of students participating in extracurricular activities.[12]
