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Board renews Leadership High School charter after district requests monitoring and improvement plan
Summary
After public testimony from students, alumni and staff, the Board granted Leadership High School's charter renewal; staff recommended renewal based on academic criteria and an eight‑page five‑year math improvement plan with quarterly reporting for specific subgroups.
The Board of Education voted to grant the renewal petition for Leadership High School on March 21, approving the charter's fourth renewal since 1996 after staff recommended renewal contingent on an action plan to address subgroup math performance.
District staff told the board Leadership met one of the three renewal criteria (academic performance comparable to similar public schools) and submitted disaggregated SBAC results and a five‑year improvement plan focused on math PLCs, professional development, individualized instruction, tutoring and hiring an additional math teacher to reduce class size. Staff also required Leadership to report disaggregated achievement data for economically disadvantaged, Latino and African American students three times annually.
Leadership Principal Beth Silbergeld and many students, alumni and parents urged renewal at public comment, highlighting graduation rates, college readiness, and student experiences. Silbergeld said the school had worked to provide more visibility for small subgroups while maintaining a focus on the whole child.
Commissioners voiced support for renewal while emphasizing the need for monitoring and interim check‑ins rather than waiting five years for the next charter review. One commissioner recused from the vote because of a contractual relationship noted on the record. The motion to grant the petition carried with the roll call showing six ayes.
Outcome: petition to renew Leadership High School charter approved; board requested periodic reporting and monitoring of the submitted improvement plan and subgroup outcomes.
