External consultant recommends clearer financial split, program transfer and updated facility agreements between Wiseburn and DaVinci

An independent consultant, Dr. Vicky Barber, presented findings and recommendations from a financial and facilities review of the partnership between Wiseburn Unified and DaVinci Schools at the Oct. 9 meeting.

Barber opened by commending the partnership and student achievement, noting that DaVinci students have high A-G completion rates and that the joint effort to finance a high-school campus produced more than $153 million in funding. But Barber recommended changes in how the two entities share costs for special-education placements and facilities.

On nonpublic-school (NPS) placements, Barber reiterated a recommendation previously made in a 2018 report: Wiseburn should remain financially responsible for NPS placements it makes while students are in Wiseburn (elementary grades), and DaVinci should be solely responsible for placements that occur while students are in high school grades. Barber said the formula the district had been using to allocate unfunded costs (based on a percentage of Wiseburn placements applied against DaVinci population) created an unfair penalty for Wiseburn when Wiseburn places very few students in NPS settings.

Barber also recommended that the Futures Plus program (services for students aged 18'1) should transition to DaVinci's responsibility because it serves high-school-age students and the charter is fiscally sustainable. She said both the Southwest SELPA and the El Dorado County Charter SELPA directors had spoken with her and would support a program transfer, but the transfer would require compliance with timelines and parent-notification processes.

On facilities, Barber noted that the original facility-use agreements expected Wiseburn to fund design and construction but that change orders, inflation, and project timing left multiple features incomplete (a prep kitchen was revised to a serving kitchen; the soccer field was completed in 2024 but the baseball field, bleachers and scoreboard were outstanding). Barber recommended those facility matters be resolved as part of a broader settlement that also implements the NPS and Futures Plus recommendations; she said DaVinci had agreed in part to share certain costs (for example, paying about 50% of unfunded Futures Plus costs for 2024—25 and indicating willingness to set aside funds for future technology, safety and athletics needs).

Barber also addressed deferred maintenance and recommended a clearer funding approach tied to a facility-replacement plan. She observed that under Education Code language the district could charge up to a 3% oversight/administrative fee when providing facilities (Wiseburn had been charging 1%) and recommended flexibility in how that fee covers both routine and major maintenance, while noting district revenue constraints and restricted uses for developer fees.

Trustees asked clarifying questions about which items Barber meant by "major" vs. "routine" maintenance, whether DaVinci currently set aside the 1%/2% specified in the agreement, and the practical steps for a program transfer. Barber said the recommendation from 2018 to change NPS and Futures Plus allocations still stands and that both SELPAs were prepared to support a program transfer if the parties implement required steps.

Ending: Barber's report included specific recommendations to revise the Magna Carta/facility agreements, complete outstanding facility items contingent on implementing the special-education and Futures Plus recommendations, and to consider aligning the administrative fee and deferred-maintenance funding; trustees asked staff to follow up on next steps.