by Krystal Paco

Guam - Last year F.Q. Sanchez Elementary School in Umatac was shut down to help cut costs for the Department of Education, and LBJ Elementary School in Tamuning may be destined for the same fate. Darryl Taggerty was overwhelmed with pride as he watched his kindergartner transition to first grade at a 3rd grade Direct Instruction reading level. What he says was thanks to the focused learning provided at LBJ Elementary School, where he also serves as Parent Teacher Association president.

He told KUAM News, "This is a high-performing school and there's a proposal that's floating around inside the government to turn over LBJ to a private concern to operate as a charter school; and to me that is really the wrong way to go about doing things."

The Tamuning campus caters to 300 students for grades kinder through first as well as houses the Gifted and Talented Education Program, where the students feed directly into neighbor Tamuning Elementary School.

According to Guam Education Board chairperson Francis Santos, LBJ is just one of many schools up for discussion when it comes to cost savings. "Let's not magnify this rumor that's out there its one of those schools that doesn't have the right enrollment," he shared. "LBJ is primarily a kindergarten/1st grade program - that's it nothing else. The other school which is connected to it has the rest of the grades. Can they fit into Tamuning Elementary? The answer is yes."

Santos confirms that there is a possibility of LBJ becoming a charter school, but can only do so legally on government property on one condition. "The charter school law that we have if they're going to call themselves a 'public charter school' - by law it is. It's the same thing they're looking at down south with Umatac. They're also wanting to do an immersion school down there."

According to Governor Eddie Calvo's education liaison and chairman for the Educational Learning Task Force Vince Leon Guerrero, nothing has been finalized. "I know there's been some discussions about an emersion charter school, there's been some discussions about possibly merging LBJ and Tamuning. Somewhere there has been some discussions in realigning the attendance areas, but nothing has been finalized. So until anything has come out of that committee there is nothing really to report," he said.

Taggerty further argues that LBJ is already doing its part at saving the government money because they share principals and a nurse with Tamuning Elementary School.