Future of Cerro Coso Tehachapi campus in question

At the Dec. 14, 2021 Tehachapi Unified School District Board Meeting, Superintendent Stacey Larson-Everson told the Board that the District’s lease agreement with Cerro Coso Community College will terminate on June 30, 2022 and the district is considering whether to continue the lease. Larson-Everson suggested that the district would like to use the facilities located at 126 S. Snyder, once known as Monroe High School, to house the Tehachapi Adult School and the Tehachapi Independent Learning Academy. She told the board that it is not possible for the two entities to share the same facility and that the district would help Cerro Coso find a new location. She also suggested that Cerro Coso could hold night classes at Tehachapi High School.

Cerro Coso has leased a portion of the Monroe facility since 2015. Since that time, Cerro Coso, a part of the Kern County Community College District, has offered classes in liberal arts, psychology, business, administration of justice and emergency medical training (EMT) with future classes planned in entrepreneurship and cybersecurity.

Part of the partnership between TUSD and Cerro Coso has been the establishment of the dual-enrollment program. Because of the range of classes offered at Cerro Coso, high school students can earn an associates degree while completing high school. There were three Tehachapi High School students who were able to do so in 2021.

A representative from Cerro Coso said there are many students taking classes during the day who have children in school in Tehachapi and this is the only time they can attend classes. Cerro Coso also offers counseling and tutorial services during the day.

At the suggestion of newly-elected Board President Nancy Weinstein, the TUSD Board asked Superintendent Larson-Everson to come back to them with a comprehensive plan at the board’s next meeting on Feb. 8.

The Board of Tehachapi Unified School District meets at 5 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month at District Offices located at 300 S. Robinson St. Meetings are currently in person and virtual.