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SFUSD board grants renewal for Mission Preparatory after hour of public comment
Summary
After more than 40 people signed up to speak, the San Francisco Unified School District Board voted to grant Mission Preparatory Charter Schoola0a renewal petition so the district can oversee the charter rather than having it authorized by the state. Supporters praised the schoola0for academic gains; some board members warned of facilities and equity impacts.
The San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education voted to grant Mission PreparatorySchool's renewal petition on Dec. 8, 2015, after lengthy public comment from parents, students and community supporters and a staff recommendation to approve the charter subject to legal timelines.
Director Michael Davis read the superintendent's recommendation into the record before the board heard more than a dozen one‑minute public remarks. "Thank you once again to the school board and to Mr. Mike Davis and to all the staff who've been part of the review of our proposal for renewal," Jane Hensarling, founder and head of Mission Preparatory, told the board.
Supporters said the school serves a high proportion of low‑income and English‑learner students and produces strong academic results. "We are hopeful that both the SAC as well as the LCAP team will be happy with our work and move forward," student and parent speakers said during the public comment period.
Several board members expressed reservations about charter schools' broader impact on district resources and the Prop 39 facilities process. "You are asking for a building from us that we don't have," Commissioner Norton warned, noting that district staff must consider how facility allocation could displace other students. Vice President Matt Haney and other members said that, given state law and prior state Board of Education decisions, it was preferable for SFUSD to authorize and oversee the school than to have the state impose a charter.
After board discussion the petition was put to a roll call vote and approved. The board's action directs the district to grant the renewal consistent with applicable California Education Code timelines and requirements and to implement oversight and reporting as provided by the superintendent's recommendations.
The petition had previously been reviewed in committee and the board heard related reports in prior meetings. The board limited public comment on the item to one minute per speaker and set a total time of 15 minutes due to the size of the sign‑in list.
The board's decision means SFUSD will be the district authorizer for Mission Preparatory, giving the district responsibility for monitoring compliance and performance going forward.
