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Board tables decision on Washington Unified Virtual Academy after staff recommends closure
Summary
Staff recommended WUVA be phased out because of steep enrollment decline (from a high of several hundred to 45) and an anticipated general-fund contribution of about $140,000; trustees asked for program alternatives and voted to table the item to a special meeting for more information.
District staff presented a recommendation that Washington Unified Virtual Academy (WUVA) cease operating in its current model after the 2025–26 school year, citing steady enrollment decline and recurring general-fund support. Staff said WUVA currently enrolls about 45 students and requires an estimated $140,000 contribution from the district’s unrestricted general fund this year.
Assistant Superintendent Autry Streak and CBO Monique Stovall described WUVA’s program model (synchronous and asynchronous instruction across combined grade-level classrooms), staffing and the financial trajectory that left the program unsustainable as a standalone school. Staff told trustees they had aimed for an enrollment threshold of roughly 66 students to make the program self-sustaining with two teachers and that the program’s enrollment has fallen from earlier-year figures (e.g., 260 students in 2021–22 down to 45).
Trustees discussed options including: (1) moving to a school-within-a-school model to capture cost savings while preserving services; (2) phasing out the program over a set period to protect currently enrolled students; and (3) exploring alternative program structures that could draw on equity-multiplier funds or Medi-Cal reimbursement opportunities. Board members and staff also discussed statutory notifications and HR timelines: staff said layoff-notice and March 15-related steps require careful scheduling and that the board needs a decision before the February 26 meeting to meet HR deadlines.
Rather than voting to close the program, the board voted to table the action and schedule a special meeting on February 19 for further information and trustee deliberation. The motion to table was moved by Clerk Hunt, seconded by Vice President Castro, and passed with unanimous 'Aye' votes recorded on the meeting record.
What’s next: Staff will return to trustees with requested details about program alternatives, enrollment projections for a school-within-a-school model, and more precise fiscal calculations before the special meeting.
