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Horizon Charter Presents Program Review, Seeks Five‑Year Renewal from District
Summary
Horizon Charter School presented enrollment, program, and accreditation details to the board and asked for renewal; district staff reported no concerns in the renewal review so far.
Horizon Charter School representatives told the Western Placer Unified School District Board of Trustees that the charter school is seeking a five‑year renewal and that the district’s renewal review to date has identified no major concerns.
John Gerard, Horizon’s superintendent, and Chief Academic Officer Herring Contreras presented enrollment, program offerings and accreditation results to trustees, saying Horizon serves students across six counties and is expecting about 1,800 students this year. Gerard described the charter as an independent option that partners with local districts and highlighted the school’s emphasis on individualized learning modalities and a mix of live instruction, on‑demand platforms and hands‑on classes.
“We focus on knowing every student by name and by need,” Gerard said, outlining the school’s mission and its work supporting students with special needs. Contreras told the board Horizon serves a higher share of students with special needs than the state average — about 18 percent — and described supports including credentialed teachers, multi‑tiered systems of support and parent educator mentors.
Horizon also described recent WASC accreditation results showing 16 areas rated “highly effective” and four rated “effective,” and said the charter has a balanced budget and stable governance. The presenters asked the board to approve renewal at a later meeting; district staff said their draft renewal report will be shared with the board in the coming weeks and that the formal renewal action will take place at a future meeting.
Board members asked about the charter’s use of artificial intelligence and about services provided in person versus online; Horizon said it adopted an AI use policy in June, is training staff this year, and primarily delivers instruction virtually while offering in‑person services and events as needed.
No renewal vote was taken at the presentation; administrators said the board will be asked to take formal renewal action later after the district’s written report is completed.
