Olive Grove charter outlines high-mobility model as county prepares to become authorizer

Meg Rittman, superintendent of Olive Grove Charter Schools, presented an overview of her school's flex-based blended learning model and its role in the county's portfolio of alternatives. Olive Grove operates four separate charters and "has been serving families across Santa Barbara County for 25 years," Rittman said, adding that the State Board of Education granted Olive Grove a five-year renewal in March and delegated authorization to the county board effective July 1, 2026.

Rittman described Olive Grove's approach as a combination of independent online curriculum with localized, in-person learning centers and wraparound services. Enrollment is concentrated in 11th and 12th grades—"over 50% of our population"—reflecting the school's emphasis on credit recovery and on-time graduation. Rittman also shared that "we had 84 students enrolled on census day for 2526, and we project about 90 students for next school year," and that the school's student population is highly mobile (56% were in their first year with Olive Grove in 2526).

Trustees asked how students are referred or choose Olive Grove. Rittman said local districts sometimes recommend the school and families also seek out the program; when demand exceeds capacity the school runs a spring lottery and maintains a wait list. On capacity and staffing, she said the Santa Barbara site typically holds 85''90 students and the corporation hires as needed when enrollment justifies an additional teacher.

The board did not take action on Olive Grove at this meeting; President Ehrman announced earlier in the session that a memorandum of understanding for Olive Grove would be removed from today's agenda because the draft needed additional finalization and would return at a future meeting.