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ABC Unified board approves temporary expansion, nonresident seats for Whitney admissions
Summary
The ABC Unified School District board approved revisions to Whitney High School’s admissions policy to handle a one‑time double intake during consolidation, add up to 23 nonresident offers per grade (15 reserved for interdistrict permit holders with two consecutive years in ABC; 8 for new nonresident applicants), and redistribute six seats to impacted elementary schools (vote 7–0).
The ABC Unified School District Board of Education on May 19 approved revisions to Whitney High School’s admissions policy and administrative regulation to accommodate school consolidation and to offer a limited number of nonresident admission seats.
The board voted 7–0 to adopt the changes after staff laid out seat‑allocation math, a one‑year exception for the 2027–28 admission cycle (a double intake of two grade levels), and a new nonresident allotment of up to 23 seats per grade. Dr. Carol Castro, director of special programs, told the board the district will reserve up to 15 of the 23 nonresident seats for students who have been enrolled in ABC schools on an interdistrict permit for at least two consecutive years; the remaining eight seats will be available to new nonresident applicants who meet the district’s qualification criteria.
“We will then release the nonresident application requirements by July 1,” Dr. Castro said, outlining the timeline staff will follow: an updated FAQ posted by June 15, the nonresident application released July 1, and a September 1–30 application window with expanded testing sessions (including possible Saturdays) to handle the larger processing load.
Board members asked staff how the new allotments would affect residents’ chances of admission and whether the temporary seats could be gamed. Trustee Nishiki said he wanted to ensure the ratio of resident to nonresident applicants remains fair. “I just want to make sure that it's fair for the residents who are trying to do this,” Nishiki said, asking staff to monitor application patterns and return with data if necessary.
Clerk Selma Mendoza emphasized outreach and clear communications for families: she asked that the simplified presentation and an FAQ be posted on the district website so parents could readily understand the changes.
The new policy preserves the district’s existing priorities for resident students while adding: (1) an additional 23 nonresident offers per grade (15 for interdistrict permit students with a two‑year history in ABC; 8 for new nonresident applicants); (2) temporary redistribution of six seats to the six elementary schools most affected by consolidation for the one year when two grade levels enter Whitney; and (3) the existing resident seat allocations (including 152 resident seats, 10 private‑resident seats and three employee seats).
Dr. Castro said the district would aim to notify families of offers before the schools‑of‑choice release in early 2027 to minimize disruption to school sites.
The board approved the policy change 7–0. Next steps: staff will publish FAQs and the nonresident application, and the district will begin preparing expanded testing schedules and communications to families.
The vote on the Whitney policy took place in open session following a full presentation and board Q&A.
The policy language and implementation details approved by the board will be posted on the district website and included in the FAQ distributed to families.
