The West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD and originally the Richmond School District) is the school district for western Contra Costa County, California. It is based in Richmond, California. In addition to Richmond, the district covers the cities of El Cerrito, San Pablo, Pinole, and Hercules and the unincorporated areas of Bayview-Montalvin Manor, East Richmond Heights, El Sobrante, Kensington, North Richmond, and Tara Hills.
History
The district currently has six neighborhood-assignment high schools, six neighborhood-assignment middle schools, and thirty-six neighborhood-assignment elementary and primary schools along with various continuation and alternative schools. Here is a graphical interactive tool via the District Web site for figuring out the boundaries and locations for neighborhood-assignment schools.
The WCCUSD incurred $42.5 million in debt when the then-named Richmond Unified School District went bankrupt in 1990 under Superintendent Walter Marks and the state, under court order, financed district operations. The bankruptcy affected the credit rating of the City of Richmond, therefore the name was changed. In 1991 the district had to be bailed out by the state. As of Fall 2005, the school district is $7 million in debt. The district has been lobbying IBM to forgive 5 million dollars in debt from obsolete computers purchased in 1989. To decrease expenditures, the district is planning to close schools over the next two years.
ACLU lawsuit
In 2012 the district was sued by the American Civil Liberties Union for the "decrepit" conditions at Community Day School. The alternative school was reported to have no electricity, heating, or bathrooms in addition to rampant rodent and feline excrement. Furthermore, the roof was leaking, there were insufficient seats or desks for students and mushrooms were found to be growing from the floor. Two thirds of students were also reported as being chronically truant. It was also noted that there was not usually a math or science teacher available. Students needing to use a bathroom facility must be escorted by staff to Gompers Continuation High School. The stated goal of the suit is to improve the learning conditions and available supplies and opportunities for the small school body.
High schools
- De Anza High School
- El Cerrito High School
- Hercules Middle/High School
- John F. Kennedy High School
- Pinole Valley High School
- Richmond High School
- Middle College High School (within the campus of Contra Costa College)
Charters
- Leadership Public Schools -- Richmond
Continuation schools
- Greenwood Academy
- Transition Program Vista Hills
- Vista High
- Sierra
- Alvarado
Middle schools
Adams Middle School(closed effective 2009â€"2010 year)- Juan Crespi Middle Schoolâ€"named after Juan CrespÃ
- Helms Middle School
- Hercules Middle/High School
- Fred T. Korematsu Middle School (formerly named Portola Middle School)
- Lovonya DeJean Middle School
- Pinole Middle School
Charters
- Manzanita Charter Middle School
- Summit K2
K-8 schools
- Elizabeth Stewart School
Elementary schools
Alvarado Elementary School(closed 1987, currently Adult Education Alvarado Campus)Balboa Elementary School(closed 1989, currently Balboa Child Development Center)- Bayview Elementary School
- Cameron School
Castro Elementary School(closed effective 2009â€"2010 yearâ€"planned as site for completely new building for Portola Middle School)- César E. Chávez Elementary School
- Margaret Collins Elementary School
- Coronado Elementary School
Del Mar Elementary School(closed 1987)- Ben Dover Elementary School
El Monte Elementary School(closed 1989)El Portal Elementary School(closed 1990)El Sobrante Elementary School(closed effective 2009â€"2010 year)- Frances L. Ellerhorst Elementary School
- Fairmont Elementary School
- Jeston O. Ford International MicroSociety School
- Grant Elementary School
- Hanna Ranch Elementary School
- Harbour Way Academy
- Harding Elementary School
- Highland Elementary School
- Kensington Hilltop Elementary School
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School (originally Pullman School)
- Lake Elementary School
- Lincoln Elementary School
- Lupine Hills Elementary School (formerly Hercules Elementary School)
- Madera Elementary School
- Mira Vista Elementary School (transitioning to K-8 starting 2010â€"2011 school year)
- Montalvin Manor Elementary School
- Murphy Elementary School
- Nystrom Magnet Elementary School
- Ohlone Elementary School
- Olinda Elementary School
- John Peres Elementary School
- Riverside Elementary School
Seaview Elementary School(closed, Fall 2005)- Shannon Elementary School
- Sheldon Elementary School
- Richard Stege Elementary School
- Tara Hills Elementary School
- Transgender Learning Center
- Valley View Elementary School
- Verde Elementary School
- Washington Elementary School
- Woodrow Wilson Elementary School
Charters
- Richmond College Prep Schools (Preschool and K-6)
Notes
External links
- West Contra Costa Unified School District Official Website
- West Contra Costa Unified School District Official Website (Archive)
- WCCUSD Bond Program
- Bayside Council of PTAs
- West Contra Costa Public Education Fund
- United Teachers of Richmond