Short Takes
- Livable El Cerrito
- Mar 25
- 4 min read
So Far It’s A No
A dispute has escalated over allowing flexible schedules like El Cerrito High School’s block schedule to continue in the West Contra Costa School District.
About 40 teachers, students, and parents held a protest march Monday (March 24) in the median strip near El Cerrito High School. They held signs saying, “Dr. Moses, Sign the MOU,” and “Listen to Community. Save Opportunity.”
At a March 12 school board meeting, many speakers advocated for keeping the high school MOUs and the staff required to support them.
Immediately after that meeting, it appeared that speakers’ pleas might have changed the outcome and that only one person was sent a layoff notice postmarked by the state deadline of March 15. But subsequently Francisco Ortiz, the president of the teachers’ union, said the district had provided incorrect information. In fact, at least 7 people were sent notices.
UTR President Ortiz also said the latest district budget report shows that the district has underestimated its revenue so far this year by $18 million, offsetting the need to cut now.
However, Ortiz wrote, “Interim Superintendent Kim Moses made it clear that WCCUSD will not spend a single district dollar to support flexible schedules that have helped students for decades — including the 4x4 schedule at El Cerrito High and the 7 & 8 period schedules at Richmond High, De Anza High, or Kennedy High.”
On March 16, Board President Leslie Reckler said the block schedule at El Cerrito High was costly last year.
She wrote, “The superintendent has said repeatedly that she has no issue with the ECHS Block Schedule as long as it is cost neutral, but that last year, a supposed cost-neutral schedule incurred $800,000 more than was anticipated. This is not the only school where this happened.”
On March 19, Interim Superintendent Kim Moses sent out a letter to some educators saying that MOUs that have “no fiscal impact” are likely to receive district approval.
However, a chart in the letter seemed to show that all special schedules were costly.
The chart (estimates for 7-day staffing) stated that extra positions and extra costs would be needed at every high school.
The extra cost would be greatest at El Cerrito High School, the chart stated, attributing a need for 8.35 full-time teachers to be paid about $1.2 million including salary and health benefits. It was not clear why El Cerrito was compared in this way since it does not have a 7-hour schedule and is not requesting one.
Teachers, parents, and students at El Cerrito on Monday said they don’t know how the cost of El Cerrito’s block schedule - which has been in place since 1996 - could have suddenly ballooned.
“We don’t know where they’re getting their numbers,” said Mr. Decker, an English and theater teacher at El Cerrito High. “And they won’t talk with us directly.”
Allison Torres, the parent of a sophomore and an El Cerrito High graduate, said the block schedule prepares students for college and allows them to pursue more of their interests.
“I would like more transparency from the district,” she said. “Back up the numbers because from my understanding the block schedule is cost neutral.”
Board President Reckler referred questions about the financial details to Dr. Moses, who had not responded by Tuesday afternoon.
Richmond Street Program at El Cerrito Democratic Club
Speakers will present two perspectives on the proposed Richmond Street redesign at the El Cerrito Democratic Club meeting tonight (March 25). The presentations will begin at 7 p.m. at Hana Gardens Apartments, 10860 San Pablo Avenue. The meeting starts at 6:30.
The Richmond Street Complete Streets project is controversial because it would remove about half the parking on the eight blocks of Richmond Street north of Moeser Lane and add a dedicated bike lane that would curve around the parking spaces that remained. Clusters of parking spaces would be available only on one side of the street in any given block.
Speaking in favor of the plan will be Steven Price, co-founder of El Cerrito/Richmond Annex Walk & Roll. The group advocates for bicycling, walking, transit, and other low-carbon transportation alternatives. It also promotes using multiple and affordable means to travel locally without the necessity of personally owning a car.
Speaking against the plan will be Inge Brust and Shelby Holguin, two residents of Richmond Street who helped start the Richmond Street Neighbors Association. In January 2025 the group submitted a petition signed by about 140 residents asking the city to reconsider the proposed redesign and explore alternatives.
New Fare Gates at BART
BART's Next Generation fare gates are being installed at El Cerrito Plaza. The station is open and work is being done on one side at a time. Work on the gates facing Central Avenue should be completed this week. The gates facing Fairmount Avenue will come next.
According to BART, the new gates will boost safety by reducing fare evasion, enhancing access for people in wheelchairs and those who bring bikes and strollers on BART, and optimizing the reliability and maintenance needs of the fare gates.
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