Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Charter School ORCA topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
ORCA reports growth and contract through 2032; virtual model differences explained
Summary
Oregon Charter Academy representative Allison Gavin told the Santiam Canyon board ORCA enrollment was 3,185 in June, described summer credit-recovery programs, said ORCA is in contract with the district through 2032, and outlined why virtual-school funding differs from brick-and-mortar.
Allison Gavin, representing Oregon Charter Academy (ORCA), told the Santiam Canyon School Board that ORCA's June enrollment stood at 3,185 and that virtual schools typically experience end-of-year attrition. "Our June enrollment was at 3,185," Gavin said, adding that when she left the office that day the number was about 3,175, which she described as "better than it's ever been as far as this ending year."
Gavin described ORCA's summer offerings, including credit-recovery courses and a freshman-success bridge program that runs four weeks with brief live sessions twice a week. She said ORCA contracts with the district through 2032 and that the charter receives a different funding rate than traditional schools; "we usually get 70 to 80%" of some funding streams, she said, and the school is participating in state workgroups on funding practices with ODE and OSBA. Board members asked whether state budget pressures could change payments; Gavin said she expects legislative activity on funding and that she participates in outreach to lawmakers to educate them on virtual-school needs.
Board members and staff discussed the contract horizon and forecasting. The district's business manager and superintendent said the ORCA contract contributes materially to district ADM figures and revenue forecasting, and that the appropriation transfer on the agenda would provide additional instructional appropriation authority to cover higher-than-anticipated charter payments.
