Fate of Meadows Elementary may be decided in a courtroom

Conejo Valley Unified School District is facing a potential lawsuit after voting to place Meadows Arts and Technology Elementary School (MATES), a charter school that formed after Meadows was chosen for closure in the fall, at Glenwood Elementary School.

The MATES board has been adamant that the law—particularly Proposition 39—requires the district to allow them to stay at Meadows. The district staff and school board believe they're required only to make a site available for the charter school.

The board voted 3-2 against reopening Meadows, with Tim Stephens and Mike Dunn in opposition. The two wanted to reverse the closure decision and work with MATES to build a magnet at the school, rather than a charter school.

The difference is that a magnet is part of the district, while a charter is self-governed.

Meadows parents originally pushed for a magnet, but were denied. They then created a charter school proposal. The district denied their charter, but it was later approved by the Ventura County Office of Education.

Stephens and Dunn also voted against the proposal to open MATES at Glenwood. Several reasons have been given, including the possible loss of additional students from the district to a charter as well as the cost of potential litigation, which has been estimated at $100,000 to $200,000.

The board's decision means that both University and Meadows will be closed in the fall.

However, Sheri Polisini, a MATES board member, said they will be filing a writ for possession of the site. The MATES board voted last week after the CVUSD board's decision.

The district is currently considering lease options for the sites, including a preschool, a Jewish Day School at Meadows and an all-boys Lutheran High School at University.