Navigator Public Schools presented its countywide charter petition to the Orange County Board of Education on Aug. 6, outlining plans to open Orange County Prep as a network of TK–12 campuses and to phase enrollment up to roughly 3,300 students over several years.
CEO and Superintendent Dr. Caprice Young told trustees the charter would open three clusters of TK–12 schools and prioritize locations in Orange, La Habra and Anaheim, while maintaining flexibility on specific sites because facility availability varies. Navigator representatives said the network would enroll in phases — starting with roughly 420 students in year one and growing toward nearly 3,000 by year five — and emphasized a model of close coaching for teachers, data-driven instruction and inclusive supports.
Presenters described a partnership under discussion with Santiago Canyon College to provide dual-enrollment and early-college pathways for high school students, and said the network would graduate students with A–G fulfillment plus college credits or certifications. Navigator officials told the board it has a four-school operating history with about 2,000 students and said its model has produced academic outcomes that they said outperform state averages for similar student groups.
On finance, Navigator said its network holds operating reserves (presenters described about $5 million in available reserves across existing schools) and noted it was awarded a federal replication and expansion grant earlier in 2025; presenters stated that grant the network referenced totaled about $12 million. Board members questioned projections for initial enrollment, fiscal sustainability and who would be based in Orange County to run the schools; Navigator said it would relocate regional leadership and principals and that it has retained Charter Impact for back-office services.
The public comment period included parents, alumni and community partners who described personal experiences with Navigator’s instructional model and urged the board to approve the petition. Staff told the board the OCDE will post its staff report and recommended findings by Aug. 19 and that a second public hearing and decision are scheduled for the Sept. 3 and Oct. 8 meetings.
The board did not vote on the petition at the Aug. 6 meeting.