More than a bus ride

The school day started in a Carl’s Jr. for 14-year-old Armil Allahyarian, who was waiting at 6:54 a.m. Tuesday for a yellow bus to shuttle him to Clark Magnet High School — his gateway to the most advanced science and technology instruction around, he said.

It was an earlier start than he might have had if he attended nearby Hoover High School, but he said it was worth losing some sleep to get to Clark, where teachers have established a tradition of creating innovative lessons that often involve laptop computers, advanced software and other cutting-edge technology.

But the 17 bus routes that he and about 750 other students rely on for daily transportation to the La Crescenta school may soon be eliminated as district administrators grapple with the effects of sweeping state budget cuts.

As Glendale Unified School District officials struggle to close a projected $57.7-million deficit by 2012 that emerged with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed funding cuts, the Board of Education will consider a recommendation to cut the $740,000 Clark bus program as a potential cost-saving measure.

If the board eliminates the bus service, the results could be dramatic for students, 43% of whom come from low-income families and may struggle with transportation, officials said.

Armil could not see an alternative.

“I wouldn’t go to Clark,” he said.

Other students on a bus Tuesday came to the same realization.

“My parents couldn’t drop me off every morning and then get me after because they work and they leave early,” said 14-year-old Susanna Sayan, who added that Clark’s teachers and its extended class periods had helped her grow from a struggling math student to a confident one.

“I really want to come to this school,” she said.

Clark was established in 1998 to help relieve growing class sizes at other Glendale high schools, but has since developed into one of the most distinguished schools in Los Angeles County and the state, Supt. Michael Escalante said.

The school accepts students based on a strict lottery system, requiring only that applicants have at least a C average.