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Santa Barbara Charter School renewal hearing draws parents’ endorsements for arts‑focused model
Summary
At a public hearing the charter school's director reviewed program performance, enrollment and direct‑funding transition; many parents and former staff speakers urged the board to renew the charter, praising arts integration, small‑school supports and inclusion.
Santa Barbara Charter School’s director presented the school’s renewal materials and parents and community members spoke in favor of renewal during a public hearing at the Jan. 13 Santa Barbara Unified board meeting.
Laura Donner, director of education at Santa Barbara Charter School, described the school’s structure (about 285 students, including an independent study cohort), its mission to integrate arts, academics and relationships, a three‑year science loop for multi‑age classrooms, and plans to become a directly funded charter starting June 2026. Donner highlighted the school’s small size, multilingual population and claimed progress on multiple performance measures.
Several parents and alumni addressed the board in favor of renewal. Dr. Lea Tolantino and others praised the school’s materials‑based arts curriculum and its social‑emotional emphasis; commenters described individualized supports for students who may not qualify for IEPs but benefit from the school’s multi‑tiered support model. Parents and former teachers emphasized long‑term benefits such as curiosity, confidence and civic engagement.
Next steps: staff will post a report and recommendation on Feb. 9; the board indicated it expects to act on the renewal at its Feb. 24 meeting.
