Schools squeezing, building to fit more students By Sarah Grunder Record Staff Writer Home sales are up, prices are climbing, and construction is thriving. As the housing market continues to sizzle, San Joaquin County elementary and secondary schools are feeling the pinch because of limited space and high expectations from recent arrivals. Flat growth numbers have turned upward in the 27,000-student Lodi Unified School District, according to Rich Ferrara, associate superintendent for educational services. This school year alone, nearly 1,000 additional students have enrolled in the district's more than 40 schools.
Most schools are already year-round.
We're overflowing students to other schools. We hire on teachers who may have been hired on later, so you're not necessarily getting the experience. Officials are meeting soon to discuss how to handle shifting 600 high school students off the Julia Morgan campus. In addition, Lodi Unified hopes to pass a bond to help the district keep pace with growth in north Stockton and Lodi. Even with the bond, Stockton Unified won't be able to stay ahead of growth, district officials said.