Pomona Unified receives SAIL charter renewal petition; district will review and return recommendation

The Board of Education of Pomona Unified School District received a formal renewal petition on May 7 from the School of Extended Educational Options (SAIL), a dependent charter that provides independent-study and alternative programs for students across TK–12.

The district will take the petition under submission and return a staff report and recommendation at a later public meeting after conducting a district review, public input and a site visit, Superintendent Darren Knowles said during the meeting.

Why it matters: SAIL serves multiple student populations — credit‑deficient high schoolers, athletes who train off‑site, a large homeschool cohort and vendor‑partnered sports programs — and the charter’s renewal could affect how the district serves students who need non‑traditional pathways to graduate.

SAIL principal Dina Ashford summarized the petition and the school’s current structure before the board. "SAIL stands for School of Extended Educational Options," Ashford said. She described four program strands operating from Palomar Center (2211 N. Grove Ave.) and emphasized that SAIL also oversees the district’s independent study program.

District staff and SAIL presented enrollment and performance figures the board will use in its review. On Feb. 25 the petition summary reported total SAIL enrollment at about 1,210 students for 2024–25, with program-level counts described as approximately: Classic (credit‑recovery/alternative high school) 223, Sports/Elite Sports Institute 204, Homeschool 413, and Vendor‑partner programs 329. SAIL staff also reported that PUSD’s district independent‑study enrollment stands at about 252 high‑school students.

SAIL's presentation noted year‑to‑year growth: 2019–20 enrollment was reported at 587; by 2023–24 the petition documents showed roughly 1,165 students; the petition packet provided to the board indicates 1,210 on Feb. 25, 2025. Assistant principal Eric Negron and assistant principal Tom Vogt reviewed test participation and recent graduation and assessment gains reported in the petition: the renewal summary cited a 60.7% graduation rate in 2023–24 (a 4.4 percentage point gain from the prior year) and increases on state assessments noted by SAIL staff.

SAIL described governance and fiscal arrangements for a dependent charter: a volunteer SAIL board composed largely of district cabinet members provides oversight, and the district retains financial control and oversight of charter funds. The presentation covered the 15 statutory charter elements required for renewal petitions, employee qualifications (SAIL staff are district employees), health and safety compliance, discipline and special education procedures, and closure procedures should the charter cease operations.

What happens next: District staff will review the petition's academic, governance and fiscal materials, conduct a site visit and compile a report with recommendations for the board. Mr. Knowles told the board the petition "will be reviewed by the district that includes examining academic plans, financial viability, and governance. A site visit will be conducted by the district. The district invites and collects public input on the proposed charter during public comment. A staff report will be created with recommendations and submitted to the board. The petition for the renewal will be brought forward again and to be approved by the board." (District staff spokesperson)

Ending note: Because the board took the petition under submission rather than voting on renewal tonight, any change to SAIL’s status will depend on the subsequent staff report and a future board action after the public hearing record is complete.