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Board approves five‑year renewal for Griffin Academy High School, requires addendum
Summary
The Vallejo City Unified governing board approved a five‑year renewal for Griffin Academy High School after staff found it to be a middle‑performing charter; the board required a written addendum addressing credits, governance, staff credentials and plans to improve English‑learner and college‑and‑career indicators before the new term begins.
The Vallejo City Unified School District governing board voted Jan. 14 to renew Griffin Academy High School’s charter for five years, contingent on a district‑approved addendum addressing several staff‑identified gaps.
Staff recommended renewal after classifying Griffin as a middle‑performing charter with gains in English language arts and math but flagged concerns including inconsistent graduation credit counts in the petition, incomplete descriptions of counselor and wellness roles, and declines in English‑learner progress and the college‑and‑career readiness indicator. Charter coordinator Christy Gardner told trustees the petition showed “an increase in both ELA and math” but noted specific areas that need written clarification before the new term starts.
Nick Driver, superintendent of the school operator, told the board Griffin accepts many of the findings and pledged to work with district staff on an addendum. Driver said the school would provide additional governance documents and clarified that Griffin serves roughly 170 students now with plans to build toward its projected enrollment. “We are committed both to working with the district on an MOU and to working on the addendum,” he said.
Students and staff spoke in support of renewal. Yesenia Ortega Guzman, a senior and school board representative, said Griffin’s small size and close teacher‑student relationships make it a safe learning environment: “For many of us, Griffin is not just a school. It is a safe place.” Multiple student speakers described dual‑enrollment opportunities and strong staff relationships.
Trustees pressed Griffin on concrete fixes. Questions focused on the unclear credit requirement (the petition referenced both 240 and 245 credits), the proportion of teachers without a clear credential (staff said about 30% lack a clear credential), and whether the program’s wellness and restorative practices explained the reported drop in suspension rates. Griffin representatives described AVID implementation, MAP and internal growth measures, a wellness program they say has lowered suspensions, and plans to provide a written addendum by the district’s stated deadline prior to the July 1, 2026, term start.
After discussion, Trustee Fox moved to approve the renewal with the addendum requirement; the motion carried 4–1.
Next steps: district staff will review the promised addendum and monitor Griffin’s compliance with the items identified in the staff report before the new charter term begins on July 1, 2026.
