School District Officials To Discuss Strategic Plan In El Cerrito

West Contra Costa Unified School District officials will discuss their goals and strategies for the next five years during a public hearing on Wednesday evening.

The hearing on the district's 2013-2018 Strategic Plan will begin at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at El Cerrito High School.

District residents are being asked to provide feedback before the plan is presented to the school board for approval.

A draft of the plan states the district "faces all the challenges and dilemmas of urban school districts, and more."

It states the district has to deal with poverty and a high percentage of English learners along with budget problems and a diverse student population living in five different cities.

The plan notes the district has made progress by increasing student achievement and paying off a state loan.

It says the district has a number of productive programs, but the district lacks of focused plan for a shared vision and implementation strategy.

It lists seven challenges that need to be faced. Among are the student achievement gap, lack of program alignment, low trust from the community and poor communication.

It names six key priorities. Among them are creating high expectations, supporting quality instruction and innovation.