Sequoia Union High School District (SUHSD) is initiating the process of determining the future of TIDE Academy. This process is part of the district’s broader effort to realign resources, address enrollment shifts, and ensure equity and sustainability across all school sites.

Read the full plan here.

Background

At the November 12 Board meeting, a Board Subcommittee 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 Subcommittee, 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 to discuss and consider a possible closure of TIDE Academy at the December 10 board meeting.

The Subcommittee 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 Subcommittee 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 Subcommittee 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.

The process of determining the future of TIDE Academy, a small, innovative high school whose vision is to inspire students to grow academically and socially through core programs such as dual enrollment, CTE pathways, and Nucleus (the advisory program), is part of the District’s broader effort to realign resources, address enrollment shifts, and ensure long-term sustainability across all school sites. As the District continues to face a structural deficit, it is the organization’s responsibility, carried out through the Superintendent, to ensure that all schools and programs remain both thriving and financially sustainable so that students across the District continue to receive a high-quality education. A Board Subcommittee was formed at the September 10, 2025, board meeting to examine District property and enrollment trends, both rising and declining. According to the 2024-25 School Accountability Report Card (SARC), 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. The District will conduct a deeper analysis of these figures in January.

This plan is designed to ensure that TIDE students, parents, and staff are fully informed and have a clear understanding of the process for determining the future of TIDE Academy. It outlines the information that will be gathered, how it will be analyzed, and how communication will occur before, during, and after key decision points.

The plan includes six sections, including:

Summary of actions to date.
Community feedback from November.
Areas of Analysis and Framework for Evaluation. Data, information and factors that will be considered and provided to the Board for making their decision.
A communication and community engagement strategy, including opportunities for the community to engage through inclusive, well-facilitated forums that allow for listening, feedback, and follow-up, that provide opportunities for input and dialogue before any final decisions are made, and a webpage containing current materials, including recaps of notes and questions from the staff and parent meetings already held, answers to frequently asked questions, and copies of any presentations made.
Timeline: Includes the Superintendent’s recommendation and the Board’s final decision.
Conclusions.

Goal of the Plan:

The plan defines the information we will gather, how it will be analyzed, and how we will provide transparent and consistent communication before, during, and after key decision points.

You can read the full plan here.

Please feel free to share questions and comments here.

Upcoming Dates

January 13 and 15: Second round of community meetings to share updated information and data, reflect back themes from earlier engagement, and collect additional feedback on options and potential transition supports. Time and location TBD
January 26: Board Study Session. Present a synthesis of community input, enrollment and fiscal analysis.
February 4: Board meeting presenting findings and data, and considering a vote. Present a synthesis of community input, enrollment and fiscal analysis, and recommended next steps; the Board may vote on closure or direct staff to bring back additional information.

Develop post–early February communication outlining the Board’s decision (or additional steps requested), key implications for students, staff, and families, and how the District will support next steps.
Provide follow-up communications through late February to ensure smooth transition planning or continued engagement, as directed by the Board.