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Washington Unified weighs closing virtual academy as students and parents push back
Summary
District staff recommended considering closure of the Washington Unified Virtual Academy at year-end because of declining enrollment and general-fund cost pressures; families and staff urged alternatives and trustees requested an April 10 executive summary of fiscally feasible options.
District staff recommended the board consider closing the Washington Unified Virtual Academy (WUA) at the end of the 2024–25 school year because declining enrollment has increased the program's per-student operating cost and requires a general fund contribution.
Chief Business Officer Monique Soval said WUA opened in 2021 as a sustained remote option and at its peak served about 280 students; enrollment has since declined and operating costs for the 2024–25 year were projected at roughly $870,000 with a general fund contribution required. Soval said the district reduced the required contribution from earlier years to an estimated $130,000 for next year but noted that the program could continue to strain the general fund if enrollment does not stabilize.
Amanda Dilis, the WUA principal who was present, described program features that families value: synchronous teacher minutes for live math and English, an added paraprofessional to support students during independent time, monthly in-person days and small cohorts for middle-school students. Parents and staff said the academy serves students who face anxiety, bullying, health or transition issues and that some students have been virtual for years.
"These students should not be discriminated against simply because they are not in the majority," Samantha, a WUA parent, told the board. She urged the district to prioritize the needs of students who thrive in a virtual environment rather than make decisions based solely on cost.
Board members asked staff to explore alternatives that could lower operating costs while preserving access — including consolidating grade spans, a two-teacher model the staff said could be financially solvent at current enrollment, or moving the program into a host campus classroom. Trustees requested an executive summary with a fiscal analysis and specific options to be presented at the board's April 10 meeting so parents and staff can plan.
Staff said potential next steps include offering students placement at their home schools, in-district transfer permits (subject to space), or help finding other options; human resources is identifying placements for affected staff. The district said it would support transitions and prioritize staff vacancies for current WUA employees who want to remain in the district.
The board did not vote on closing WUA on March 27 but scheduled additional information and asked staff to return with an action recommendation at the April 10 meeting.
