Heated public hearing for Santa Rosa Accelerated Charter School renewal; board asks for data and equity plan
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Summary
The board held a public hearing on a seven‑year renewal petition for the Santa Rosa Accelerated Charter School (SRAX). Presenters highlighted high performance, attendance and a 70–80% out‑of‑elementary‑district enrollment; trustees requested more data on student origins, diversity, twice‑exceptional students and colocation implications before taking action.
The San Rosa City Schools board opened a public hearing on April 8 to consider the renewal petition for the Santa Rosa Accelerated Charter School (SRAX), a dependent charter that serves fifth and sixth graders with an integrated arts and accelerated‑learning model.
SRAX presenters described the school as "high performing," requested a seven‑year renewal and highlighted outcomes they said support that status: high ELA and math performance, strong attendance and a long wait list. The school team asked trustees to recognize the program’s vertical alignment with Rincon Valley Middle School and Maria Carrillo High School and said the program’s structure and partnerships are central to its results. "We are requesting a 7 year term for the renewal of Santa Rosa Accelerated Charter School," a speaker said during the presentation.
Presenters and trustees discussed growth, boundaries and equity. SRAX staff said the student body currently draws heavily from outside Santa Rosa City Schools’ elementary boundaries — "70 to 80% of our students do come from outside of Santa Rosa City's elementary district" — but also acknowledged they could not produce exact multi‑year percentages on the spot and that it would be labor‑intensive to compile. Trustees asked for clearer numbers about geography, race/ethnicity trends and the count of twice‑exceptional students (students who are gifted and also have learning differences) because those data will shape access and potential replication strategies.
Multiple parents, students and staff testified in support during the public comment portion. Speakers described SRAX as transformative for children with diverse needs, praised the school's music and STEM programs and urged the board to preserve the colocated pipeline with Rincon Valley Middle School. One parent said the program supports her child’s IEP needs and caused significant academic gains: "My daughter has improved 2 school grades over this year," she said.
Trustees praised the school’s outcomes but repeatedly emphasized equity and access, urging district staff and SRAX to produce a plan that would expand opportunities beyond the current lottery/wait‑list model. Trustees discussed replication options (e.g., adding grade levels or expanding to other campuses such as Santa Rosa High or Montgomery), clarified that the board would not take action tonight, and asked staff to return with a focused packet of follow‑up material that includes exact origin percentages, the counts of students with IEPs and 504 plans and a plan for expanding access while preserving program integrity.
What happens next: staff will analyze enrollment origins, special‑education cohorts and facility/colocation scenarios and return to the board at a future meeting. The hearing was informational and the board made no renewal decision on April 8.
Attribution: quotes and claims in this report are from SRAX presenters and public speakers during the April 8 public hearing.
