TIDE FAQ
TIDE FAQ![]()
Process & Timeline
Why is TIDE Academy being reviewed right now?
A Board Sub-Committee was formed at the September 10, 2025, board meeting to examine District property and enrollment trends, both rising and declining. At the November 12 Board meeting, the Sub-Committee composed of Trustees Rich Ginn and Mary Beth Thompson provided a report-out on its review of enrollment, program offerings, and the long-term fiscal health of the District. Speaking on behalf of the Board Sub-Committee, Trustee Thompson reported that because TIDE Academy is such a small school, it requires a disproportionate amount of resources to operate over time, and recommended that the Board ask the superintendent to develop and bring forward a clear plan for a process to discuss and consider a possible closure of TIDE Academy at the December 10 board meeting.
The Sub-Committee recommended that the plan outlines how and when the District will communicate with students, families and staff, how the community will be informed and invited into the conversation, and what information and data will be presented to the board. The Sub-Committee also requested that the plan include an opportunity for input from students, parents, employees and community members, as well as clear communication to all stakeholders about what the potential impacts on each of them will be if a decision to close TIDE Academy is made. The Sub-Committee recommended that the Board ask the Superintendent to present a proposed process at the December 10 meeting that would enable the board to make a decision by the end of February about whether to close TIDE Academy after this academic year.
Is the district questioning TIDE’s success as a school?
No. The review is focused on long-term sustainability, not an evaluation of the school’s effectiveness. The Board and superintendent all recognize and affirm the many successes and positive impacts TIDE has had on students.
Has a decision already been made to close TIDE?
No. No decision has been made. The district is in an information-gathering and listening phase. The Superintendent will bring a recommendation to the Board only after data is reviewed and community input is considered, and the Board will make the final decision.
What data and information did the Board Sub-Committee use before recommending that the Board direct the superintendent to develop a process for considering the future of TIDE?
The Board Sub-Committee has reviewed enrollment data for all schools within the District, and a deeper analysis of these figures will be conducted in January. The Sub-Committee also reviewed per–pupil expenditure (PPE) totals across school sites. District financial data for 2024-25 school year, which will be provided for the School Accountability Report Card (SARC), shows that approximately $39,000 is spent per student at TIDE, compared to an average of $22,467 per student at the District’s other high schools. (Please keep in mind that financial data reported in SARC reports is from two years prior to the year in which the report is published. For example, the SARC reports published in 2024-25 are based on the 2023-24 school year, and cite financial data from the 2022-23 school year. The district is the source of the financial data provided to the state for the SARC. The 2024-25 financial data will appear in the 2025-26 SARC, released during the 2026-27 school year.)
At the community data-sharing meetings in January, additional information will be provided to ensure that comparisons of PPE across school sites reflect an accurate, “apples-to-apples” view. Larger school sites, for example, receive additional funding, which contributes to differences in expenditures.
What happened at the December 10 Board meeting?
At the December 10 meeting, the Superintendent presented a process and timeline for reviewing TIDE’s future. The meeting outlined how data will be shared, how input will be collected, and what the next steps are. Students, Families, and staff made public comments.
What happens after December 10?
On Jan 13 and 15, the district will hold additional meetings to share detailed information about enrollment, finances, and program options. There will also be a Board study session on Jan 26 focused on TIDE. After this, the Superintendent will prepare a recommendation for the Board, which will then discuss and vote in a public meeting on Feb 4.
Can the timeline change based on community input?
Yes. The Superintendent has acknowledged that community feedback may lead to adjustments. Input from families, students, staff, and alumni will help shape both the process and the final recommendation.
Decision-Making & Board Role
Who ultimately decides TIDE’s future?
The Superintendent will bring a recommendation to the Board of Trustees, but only the Board can make a final decision about TIDE’s future. Any decision will be made in a public Board meeting on Feb 4 with opportunities for community comment.
What is the Superintendent’s role in this process?
The Superintendent’s role is to: (1) gather and analyze data; (2) listen to and summarize community input; (3) design a fair process; and (4) present a recommendation to the Board. The Superintendent does not vote on school closure; that is the Board’s responsibility.
How can families make sure their voices are heard?
Families can email Board members (Board@seq.com), speak during public comment at regular Board meetings (including Jan 14, the study session on Jan 26, and board meeting on Feb 4), attend community meetings on Jan 13 and 15, and submit questions and comments through the district’s online form. All of this input will be collected and shared with the Board.
Enrollment & Recruitment
Why is enrollment such a significant focus in this review?
As enrollment decreases, the cost per student naturally increases, especially when staffing and program commitments remain constant. Small schools, including TIDE, inherently cost more per student to operate because class sizes, staffing ratios, and student supports must be maintained at the same level as larger schools, but across fewer students. Currently, TIDE has 14 classes with 10 or fewer students enrolled (including some classes with only 4–6 students) and 23 classes with 20 or fewer students. These class sizes reflect the personalized environment families value, but they also significantly increase per-student cost.
What are current enrollment numbers at TIDE?
Current enrollment as of 12/9/25:
9th: 63
10th: 56
11th: 29
12th: 47
Will this review hurt TIDE’s ability to recruit new students?
The Superintendent has acknowledged that talking about a possible closure during recruitment season may affect prospective families’ decisions. This impact will be taken into account when the Board reviews datTIDE has continued to hold information sessions and welcome 8th graders to shadow. Prospective families are encouraged to express their interest in TIDE.
What efforts have been made to promote TIDE and increase its enrollment?
Details about TIDE’s recruitment efforts will be shared at the Jan community meetings. This information will be updated following those meetings.
Finances
To what extent is this review being driven by fiscal considerations, and is enrollment the primary factor in the analysis?
Finances and enrollment are closely connected. Smaller schools cost more per student to operate, which affects the district’s overall budget. Fewer students in a class raises the cost. A teacher costs the same whether teaching 5 students or 30 students. TIDE has 14 classes with enrollments of 10 students or fewer (some classes have 4 and 6 students enrolled per class); and 23 with enrollments of 20 or fewer.
Is the district required to provide an equity impact analysis?
No, the equity impact analysis requirement, per AB1912/Ed Code 41329, only applies to districts closing a school due to financial distress, defined as meeting any of the following conditions:
- It has an emergency apportionment under Education Code Section 41320 (meaning the state has provided emergency funding because its revenues are less than needed to meet current obligations).
- A trustee has been appointed under Article 2 of that section due to its financial condition.
- An administrator has been appointed under that same article because of its financial situation.
While SUHSD is facing a deficit, it is not at this time in financial distress. Addressing the structural deficit is important to ensure that it does not fall into financial distress, as defined above.
What financial information is available on the School Accountability Report Cards (SARC) and where does it come from?
Published SARC reports reflect academic and demographic data from the previous school year, and the financial data included is from two years prior to the report. For example, the SARC reports published in 2024-25 are based on the 2023-24 school year, and cite financial data from the 2022-23 school year. The district is the source of the financial data provided to the state for the SARC. The 2024-25 financial data will appear in the 2025-26 SARC, released during the 2026-27 school year. The SARCs cite per pupil expenditures (PPE) in three ways:
- Total expenditures per pupil
- Expenditures per pupil from restricted funds
- Expenditures per pupil from unrestricted funds
The $39,000 cited by the District at the December 10 board meeting was the total expenditures per pupil in the 2024-25 school year; it will be published in the SARC report released in February of 2026. Because of the lag time in reporting, and the three categories in which information is shared, it is important to ensure that financial comparisons are apples to apples. For example, the most recently published SARC report, the 2023-24 SARC, reports expenditures of about $22,600 per pupil from unrestricted sources during the 2022-23 school year. In that same year, the total per pupil expenditures were about $27,400.
Will the district share more detailed financial information than that included in published SARC reports about TIDE?
Yes. The district plans to share more detailed information about per-student costs, funding sources, and how TIDE compares with other schools at the January 13 and15 community meetings and at the Jan 26 board study session.
How is District financial information shared with the public?
The District’s Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services provides an update on the district’s budget each fall and each spring. The last update, the 1st Interim Report, was given at the December 10 board meeting.
Is potentially closing TIDE the only option being considered for eliminating the deficit?
Broader problem-solving conversations will take place. Additional cost-saving measures are also being explored and these options will be presented alongside enrollment and fiscal data in a future report to the Board.
Could TIDE’s building be leased or given to a charter if TIDE closes?
All independent charters authorized through the District have permanent locations. All but one charter; KIPP already has a Prop 39 facility arrangement with the District. More information regarding Charter School Use of School District Facilities can be found here.
Purpose & History of TIDE
Why was TIDE built in the first place if it might not be sustainable now?
TIDE was established based on demographic studies presented to the board in January 2016 that predicted significant enrollment growth in the region, especially in the Menlo-Atherton area. At that time, M-A was projected to grow from about 2600 students in 2016 to about 2800 by 2020. The idea of a small school was to relieve pressure on larger high schools and create an innovative learning environment. Over time, actual enrollment across the region has declined compared to earlier projections, particularly after the pandemic, which has changed the long-term picture. M-A currently serves about 2150 students.
Placement & Options if TIDE Closes
Where would current TIDE students go if the school is closed?
No placements have been decided, because no decision has been made to close TIDE. If closure were approved by the Board, staff would meet with students and families to discuss options. These could include other district high schools and, where appropriate, the district’s other small public high school, East Palo Alto Academy.
If TIDE closes, what happens to students with IEPs and 504 plans?
If the Board votes to close TIDE, placement decisions for students with an IEP are made by the IEP team.
If TIDE closes, where will all TIDE staff go, and will there be layoffs that affect TIDE and other sites?
Layoffs are not the intended outcome; however, they could become a possibility if the Board ultimately votes to close TIDE. Any staffing changes would follow all provisions of collective bargaining agreements, including established processes for transfers or, if necessary, layoffs.
Governance, Process & Board Meeting Logistics
What is the district’s strategy and process for communication and outreach related to this review?
The communication and outreach strategy was shared at the December 10 board meeting and can be found here.
From a procedural standpoint, are board members also required to only speak in public about TIDE, and was TIDE discussed among them in advance?
Individual board members may speak with only one other board member about an issue and cannot deliberate as a majority outside of a public meeting. The Superintendent is permitted to meet one-on-one with each trustee, and through those individual conversations, board members were aware that she was examining TIDE’s situation.
What are the procedures for the Board to call for a future agenda item?
Under the Brown Act, a majority of the board may provide direction to staff only during a properly noticed public meeting, including during the “Future Agenda Items” portion, so long as no collective deliberation occurs outside that meeting. Adding a future agenda item that requires staff work must be supported by at least three board members in public, and that this is the process that was used.Conflict of Interest
What constitutes a conflict of interest for a board member to serve on a Board. Sub-Committee?
The conflict of interest board policy can be found here.
