Highlands charter leaders make the case for keeping school open

Highlands Community Charter and Technical Schools moved one step closer to revocation or redemption this week after its authorizer, the Twin Rivers Unified School District, held a hearing on its possible closure. 

Since the charter school opened in 2014 to help adult students earn a diploma, improve English language skills, or learn a trade, it has been the subject of scrutiny.

A recent state audit found that the school had received more than $180 million in K-12 funds it was not eligible to collect.

The audit also found that the school hired teachers without the appropriate credentials, allowed students to attend school fewer hours than required by state law, and wasted taxpayer dollars on gifts, trips and expensive leases, including one described as a penthouse in San Diego.

For over two hours on Tuesday, leaders of the beleaguered charter school rolled out plans to amend the school’s charters and move forward, while simultaneously trying to distance themselves from the actions of past leadership.

“A lot of poor decisions were made by our predecessors, and that situation in San Diego it’s ridiculous,” said Jonathan Raymond, the new Highlands executive director. “It’s ridiculous and it’s shameful. And I’m being really clear and honest about it. It would have never happened under our leadership and will never happen under our leadership.”

School leaders are now working to restore integrity and regain the community’s trust, Raymond said.

A step closer to closure?

The hearing was the latest step in the process required to revoke the school’s charters, which began when Twin Rivers Unified issued a notice of violation to Highlands in June, shortly before the state audit was released. 

As the charter school’s authorizer, Twin Rivers approved the charter and agreed to oversee its operations.

The violations outlined by the district include failing to submit an independent audit, not tracking and meeting required instructional minutes, operating at locations not approved by the district, employing teachers without the appropriate credentials, and paying the leases on properties not used for instruction.

Every corrective action outlined in the notice of violation has been completed and evidence submitted, said Teresa Cummings, the charter school’s chief operating officer.

“New systems —  academic, operational, and fiscal — are in place to ensure these issues do not occur again,” Cummings said. “The program operating today is not the program from the (past).”

Getting down to business

The Tuesday hearing was a stark departure from the November school board meeting, during which board members voted to go forward with the revocation process. That evening, dozens of supporters held signs reading “stand for second chances” and “stand for immigrants,” and 40 speakers asked the board to give the school another chance.

 Only one public comment from a supporter of the charter school was given at Tuesday’s meeting.

Instead, the charter school’s senior staff took turns making presentations and taking questions from the school board, including a few trustees who said their constituents weren’t happy to learn that taxpayers had footed the bill for an expensive San Diego condo and a ball field in Marysville. 

Charter officials said the leases for both of these properties had been terminated. The San Diego condo had been used by a remote employee who had been developing an app for the charter school, they said. The Marysville ball field was used for the school’s sports officiating program. Former district leaders also had planned to launch a landscaping program at the site.

Charter revisions may save schools

Along with discussing the potential closure of Highlands Community Charter and Technical Schools, the hearings explored the possibility of revising the charters of both of its schools — Highlands Community Charter School and its virtual school, California Innovative Career Academy — to better align with state and district expectations.

As part of the charter revisions, both schools would add 11th grade, reduce the number of school sites to 14, and have seven career technical programs, including digital literacy, personal finance, real estate, Microsoft Office Specialist certification, culinary arts, medical services and early childhood education. 

The state audit had criticized the charter school for skipping 11th grade as a way to avoid testing. Eleventh graders generally take Smarter Balanced English Language Arts and math tests. 

Although the schools have been teaching all levels of high school, except 11th grade for some time, its charter authorizes the school to teach first and second grades — ostensibly to serve newcomers with limited English proficiency — and 12th grade. 

If the charter revision is denied and the school remains open, school leaders plan to place English learners with low proficiency in first and second grades, and move ninth and 10th graders to 12th grade to comply with its charter, according to school officials.

“The current academic team thinks it would be more appropriate to serve those students, categorize them as high schoolers, and serve them and support them as high school students,” said attorney Jerry Simmons, who led the presentation for Highlands. “But, if we were to not approve the material revision, one of the things that we are going to have to figure out how to do is how to add a grade 1 and 2 back into the charter.”

If the revisions are approved, the charter also would be required to gain permission from the Twin Rivers board before it leases new sites.

Highland makes progress

During the hearings on closing the two schools, charter leaders outlined the changes they have made since taking over in June, including replacing three board members, changing auditors, and developing new school policies and procedures. 

The school has also been working with the University of Massachusetts Global to certify teachers. Last school year, it conducted state testing with 12th grade students to ensure it was compliant with state rules.

If the Twin Rivers Unified School District board votes to revoke the charters of Highlands Community Charter and Technical Schools, school leaders could appeal to the Sacramento County Office of Education or ask its board to take over as authorizer of the charter.

But school leaders are hopeful that won’t be necessary and that Twin Rivers trustees will vote in January to keep the schools open.

“If there are any additional steps that we need to take, we are happy to take them,” said Melissa Roberson, Highlands director of assessment and accountability. “Really, this is about our students, and this is about our community. Every person who works here is here to serve our students.”