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SOAR Charter renewal hearing draws parents, students and staff in show of support
Summary
The San Bernardino board held a public hearing on SOAR Charter Academy’s renewal petition; staff will return with a recommendation in January. SOAR leaders, students and parents described program outcomes, enrollment and community partnerships and urged renewal; the board did not vote.
The San Bernardino City Unified School District Board of Education opened a public hearing on the renewal petition for SOAR Charter Academy and heard several hours of testimony from school leaders, staff, students and parents.
Ernestine Hopwood, the district’s oversight director for charter schools, told the board the hearing was a required step in the review process and that staff will post a recommendation and the board will decide at its January meeting. "This will be a presentation that's done by SOAR to show the amount of support," Hopwood said.
Tricia Lancaster, identified as the executive director and a cofounder of SOAR, described the school's history and size: "We opened our doors in 2008... I am standing before you right now representing 435 TK through eighth graders and 68 staff members." Lancaster highlighted the school’s emphasis on leadership and community service.
Toby Walker, SOAR’s data and assessment coordinator, presented outcome graphs and urged the board to consider longitudinal results. Walker summarized the core finding: "Students who stay at SOAR learn to fly," and cited attendance and academic improvements tied to student tenure at the school — for example, higher attendance rates and a much stronger probability of meeting the school’s academic success criteria after multiple years in the program.
Tamika Thomas, SOAR community schools coordinator, described local partnerships that provide medical, mental-health and basic-needs support on campus. Parents, alumni and students followed with personal testimony. Nathan Gonzales, a student, said, "SOAR means to me a home, a home where I can learn with my family," and several parents described the school as an extended community that supports student leadership and service.
Board members asked clarifying questions about operations, student supports and the timeline for staff's formal recommendation. No vote was taken; Hopwood and staff will submit a written recommendation covering educational, fiscal and operational findings before the January decision.
The hearing record will be part of the staff recommendation packet the board considers next year.
