LCS presents Restore academies update: enrollment, capacity and transition outcomes

Lynchburg City Schools administrators presented a data update on the district’s restorative academies and alternative-education programs, telling the school board how many students the programs served, the capacity limits at each site and transition outcomes into students’ home schools. Dr. Davis, who presented the program data, said restorative academies aim to “provide a safe and structured, supportive, and relationship-centered environment” and to address root causes of behavior so students can return to their base schools. She told the board the elementary restorative academy (RAE) served 17 students in 2024–25 (finished year with 16), had a daily capacity of 20, and that 10 students transitioned back to their base schools. Restorative Academy secondary served a total of 63 students over the year, with an at-any-time capacity of about 30; 43 of those students returned successfully to their base schools, Dr. Davis said. District staff said other components reported were: the Transition Alternative Program (TAP) with capacity 18 (serving tier‑3 behaviors across K–5), a restorative suspension center that served 297 secondary students and can serve up to 24 students per day for short suspensions, and 536 total students served last year across the district’s alternative programs. The RAE elementary had a waiting list of about 11 students for 2025–26; the district said students are added to the wait list only after a behavior plan is in place. Board members asked whether students returning from RAE arrive academically behind and whether the district provides transition plans and teacher access to student work. Dr. Davis said she expects to provide consistent lesson plans and assessment access so base-school teachers