Staff recommends addendum allowing KIPP Antioch Global Elementary to open inside existing high school with temporary 300‑student cap

At the Jan. 23 committee meeting, Beth Figueroa, the commission’s director of authorizing, presented an addendum request from KIPP Antioch Global Elementary asking to open the elementary program temporarily on the KIPP Antioch Global High School campus and to limit initial capacity to 300 while the permanent site is developed.

Figueroa explained the school was originally approved to open in a single‑grade phased approach but during preopening the operator proposed to “incubate” the elementary grades at the high‑school site and serve kindergarten and first grade initially, then expand year‑by‑year. “Within this current facility which is the high school, they have the capacity to eventually serve all grades K through fourth, but they are limited to the maximum capacity of 300 students,” Figueroa said.

Staff assessment and recommendation: Figueroa said commission staff reviewed the school’s plan and found the phased approach feasible given existing space and resources and the operator’s identified permanent property. Staff recommended the committee move the addendum request to the full commission for consideration.

Vote: The committee moved and seconded a motion to send the addendum request to the full commission; the committee recorded an affirmative vote to forward the item.

Clarifying details: the school’s current charter contemplates eventual capacity of 600 students at a permanent facility; the addendum would authorize a temporary, lower capacity tied to facility constraints caused by construction and financing timing. Staff said the school has identified a permanent property but delayed construction for financing and scheduling reasons.

Ending: The committee forwarded the request to the full commission for final action at the scheduled commission meeting.