District to review final reports

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District plans to hold a meeting Tuesday to present the final reports on three schools facing federal sanctions under the No Child Left Behind Act.

Beginning at 6 p.m., the trustees will present and discuss the reports on Pomona Elementary School, Wilson Elementary School and TeWinkle Middle School, each of which is on year three of the federal Program Improvement list. A seven-member hearing panel, including Newport-Mesa teachers, parents, administrators and others, visited the schools last fall.

The Tuesday hearings on each school — to be held at the district offices, 2985-A Bear St., Costa Mesa — are scheduled for 45 minutes apiece, with Wilson starting at 6 p.m., Pomona at 6:45 and TeWinkle at 7:30. Buses will depart from the schools a half-hour before the individual hearings so that parents and children can attend and voice their views.

Pomona, Wilson and TeWinkle must take corrective action this year or risk federal sanctions. The hearing panel’s draft report, issued in December, recommended a new English-learner curriculum and a longer school day at the two elementary schools, along with an additional administrator at Pomona. For TeWinkle, the panel suggested lengthening the school day and bringing in a middle-school expert to help oversee programs.

The board will not take action on Tuesday, but plans to vote on the panel’s recommendations on Feb. 13.