BURBANK : Schools’ Attendance Areas to Be Reviewed

The Burbank School Board tonight will consider rescinding its decision to widen an “attendance triangle” in which more high school students would be able to choose the school they attend.

The board approved the change Oct. 7, enlarging a smaller optional attendance triangle set up two years ago. The original triangle between Victory Boulevard and Empire Avenue was carved out of former Burbank High School territory.

The new triangle includes all of the area between San Fernando and Victory boulevards in northern Burbank, taking in the residential area just east of the Burbank Airport. About 400 high school students live there.

But if the board takes the advice of district staff, it will cut the triangle back to an area that has about 200 students who are split evenly between Burbank and John Burroughs high schools. The board would then reconsider enlarging the triangle next year.

The optional triangle was meant to offset a growing imbalance between Burbank and John Burroughs high schools. Assistant Supt. Dave Aponik said that new enrollment figures showed Burbank High School and its feeder schools have fewer students than expected this year, making it impractical to decrease the high school’s mandatory attendance area.

Aponik said Burbank High’s population of 1,926 students on Oct. 1 was 86 students fewer than had been projected.

Also, Miller Elementary School’s enrollment was down 89 students from its projections to 758 students, and John Muir Middle School had 1,315 students, 36 fewer students than had been projected. Both Muir and Miller feed into Burbank High, Aponik said.

The school board tonight also will consider a plan to shift middle school students to adjust for crowding expected at John Muir Middle School by the end of the decade.

The plan would have 1,995 graduates from Washington Elementary School go to Luther Burbank Middle School instead of John Muir. But those Washington students living on Grismer Avenue, Keeler Street, Rogers Place and Elliot Drive would be able to choose between John Muir or Luther Burbank.

Roosevelt Elementary students, now going to Luther Burbank after graduating, would go to Jordan Middle School if they live south of Clark Avenue and Magnolia Boulevard and east of Hollywood Way. All other Roosevelt elementary students would have a choice between Jordan or Luther Burbank, if the board approves the plan.