TIDE FAQ

The slides from the Board study session can be viewed here.

Yes, you can view the agenda and the recording of the meeting here.

Yes. TIDE students will continue with their existing cohorts when they transition to Woodside High School. Preserving relationships with peers and trusted adults is one of our top priorities.

We also recognize how central the Nucleus advisory model is to the TIDE experience. We will be able to accommodate an advisory structure within our Woodside Tutorial allowing cohorts to continue meeting regularly and maintaining the support system students rely on.

The two TIDE pathways (Computer Science and Graphic & Interactive Design) will continue at Woodside High School. We are excited about their long-term sustainability, and we currently offer courses that naturally complement and strengthen these pathways.

At the same time, the transition expands opportunities for:

• TIDE students to add Woodside CTE (Career Technical Education) electives that connect to their pathway
• Students to have access to the current dual enrollment college courses offered at TIDE
• Students to explore additional programs such as Woodside’s Green Academy and Graphics & Technology Academy
• Current Woodside 9th graders to learn about and apply to the Computer Science & Graphic & Interactive Design Pathways, strengthening and sustaining the cohorts over time

Our goal is not to replace the TIDE model; it is to grow it within a larger set of opportunities.

Yes. One of the biggest benefits of this transition is expanded access. Students will continue in their pathway courses while gaining access to:

• Additional electives
• College-credit Dual Enrollment classes
• Expanded CTE offerings
• Additional academic offerings, activities (including many clubs), visual and performing arts and athletics
• Advanced Standing and Advanced Placement, as well as additional support classes like AVID

We want every student to be able to stay on their academic path and have more doors open to them.

Yes, transportation will be provided. Updates and information about transportation services will be provided at a later date.

We understand transitions are stressful, even when they create opportunity.

The implementation plan includes:

• Continued advisory (Nucleus)/cohort structures
• Intentional student integration activities starting in the Spring semester 2026
• Individual counseling and scheduling support
• Mentoring structures and peer connections
• Enhanced mental wellness services for TIDE students this spring and during the start of next school year

We are focusing on support systems and not major schedule disruptions so students experience continuity rather than upheaval.

Over the coming months, Woodside and TIDE staff will work side-by-side on:

• Scheduling and course alignment
• Student visits and orientation opportunities
• Family information meetings

• Individual counseling meetings

We will communicate frequently and clearly as details are finalized. If you need more information at any time, please contact your counselor or the TIDE office or reach out to either of us directly.

• At the November 12 Board meeting, a Temporary Superintendent’s 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 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 to discuss and consider a possible closure of TIDE Academy at the December 10, 2025 board meeting. 
• Superintendent Leach held two meetings with parents and two meetings with staff in November. A recap of those meetings is posted on a TIDE Information page on the district website.
• At the December 12 board meeting, Superintendent Leach presented a Plan for Considering a Possible Closure of TIDE Academy and heard testimony from 51 community members.
• SUHSD staff presented information and data to the TIDE community on January 13 and January 15. A recording of Part 1 of the data and information presentation can be viewed here. A recording of Part 2 of the data and information presentation can be viewed here.
• At the January 14 board meeting, Superintendent Leach gave an update on the TIDE process plan, and heard testimony from 30 speakers.

• January 26: A board study session will include a deeper dive into the information already presented, and will provide the board an opportunity to have a dialogue about the data and information with district staff in a format that is different from the board meetings. The board will be seated with staff around a large rectangular conference table, and staff will present data and information to the board, with an opportunity for the board to ask questions. The meeting will be held at 6 pm at Carrington Hall at Sequoia High School. Members of the public will have the opportunity to testify at the end of the meeting. (Please note: Study sessions are not live-streamed or recorded.)

• February 4: Superintendent Leach will present a recommendation to the board at a special board meeting that will be held at 6 pm at the district office. Members of the public will have the opportunity to provide public comment before the board votes on the recommendation.

Community members may email the Board Trustees at board@seq.org or submit questions or comments on the TIDE input page.

Community input will be used to shape the discussion at the Board study session and the Superintendent’s recommendation on February 4.

The January 13 and 15 presentations, recordings and updated FAQs can be found on the TIDE Academy Process and Plan page on the district website.

We believe meaningful engagement means people have more than one way to be heard—whether that’s in person, through the public meeting process, or by submitting questions they want answered. Our goal is to gather input, identify themes, and respond clearly so the community can see how questions are being addressed.
 

So far, the District has held two community input meetings and two staff input meetings to answer questions and gather feedback. The District has also held two community information meetings, along with an option to submit questions online.
 

The Board has also received input during public comment. At the December 10 Board meeting, the Board heard from 51 individuals during public comment related to the plan, and from 30 individuals at the January 14 board meeting.  The Board will continue to hear public comment at its January 26 Study Session and February 4 Board meeting.
 

In addition, Board members and the Superintendent have spoken with individuals who reached out directly. While the District may not be able to provide an individual response to every message, we are capturing common questions and concerns and responding publicly through the FAQ and updates so the information is available to all.

On Jan 13 and 15, the district held additional meetings to share detailed information about enrollment, finances, and program options. The slide decks and recordings of those meetings can be found on the TIDE Information page on the district website:

• January 13, 2026 TIDE Academy Data and Information Presentation, Part 1 - (Recording of Presentation)
• January 15, 2026 TIDE Academy Data and Information Presentation, Part 2 - (Recording of Presentation)

The FAQ is designed to be a living resource, and following meetings, the FAQ has been updated with additional details and clarifications based on the data presented in the slides and the meeting recordings. We have received many questions that have required staff research, and that take additional time to address.  The questions reflect those that were received via email, the online input form, conversations with board members and questions raised during testimony to the board. 
 

Accuracy of Data: Because district data is compiled from multiple internal systems and external reporting sources (which can use different definitions or timelines), numbers may not always appear to align at first glance. When questions arise about a discrepancy—such as differences between district-level reporting and site-level tracking—the District will clarify:

• the original data source (e.g., internal student information systems vs. external reporting),
• the timeframe the data reflects, and
• the definition being used (e.g., participation vs. completion; requests vs. confirmed enrollment).

Corrections and context: If a community member identifies a potential error or missing context in an FAQ entry, the District will review it against the posted slides/recordings and underlying data sources and then either revise the FAQ or add a clarifying note.The most effective way to request a clarification is to note the specific FAQ question and the data point in question using the feedback form or by emailing the District, so staff can verify the source and update the FAQ accordingly.

Many questions and comments have been raised, grouped around these broad themes:

• Value of small-school environment – TIDE is offering programs and opportunities no other school offers
• Concern for well-being of students thriving at TIDE
• Process feels rushed
• Questions about the reliability of data shared 
• Requests for additional data and information
• What will happen to students and staff if TIDE closes?

These themes are shaping our analysis, our ongoing FAQ updates, and what will be presented at the Board Study Session.

We’re committed to a clear timeline and a thoughtful process. Community input is being reviewed throughout and will directly inform the Superintendent’s analysis and final recommendation to the Board. If any timeline adjustments become necessary, we will communicate them promptly through the TIDE information page.

The slides from the Board study session can be viewed here.

TIDE has received 49 incoming 9th OE Requests (as of 1/22/26), and 150 total 10th, 11th and 12th grade expected enrollment. Based on this, TIDE’s projected total enrollment for 2026-27 is estimated to be 199.

12 transfers in were approved for 2023-24, and 7 were approved for 2024-25. 4 transfers out were approved in 23-24 and 12 transfers out were approved in 2024-25

In 2023-24, 16 students enrolled from charter schools and 13 enrolled from charters in 2024-25. 7 students enrolled from private schools in 2023-24 and seven enrolled in 2024-25.

Several TIDE outcome measures are cohort-dependent, meaning results can vary noticeably year to year because class sizes are small. Examples of key takeaways shared at the January 13 and 15 community meetings include:

- Graduation rates are very high for TIDE’s first graduating classes.

- A-G completion rates are lower than the District average in some years, which may be influenced by the proportion of students with IEPs/504 plans and individual student course pathways.

- State test performance fluctuates by cohort; with small numbers of test-takers, relatively small changes can appear as large percentage swings.

- Dual enrollment participation is high, and the completion data shared indicates an equity gap between SED and non-SED students in completion and persistence.

In this context, “less diverse” was used to describe the range of student racial/ethnic groups represented at TIDE, not to suggest that TIDE lacks representation or is majority white. The Schoolytics Dashboard data referenced in the meeting shows that TIDE’s enrollment is largely concentrated in two groups—predominantly Latino students, with most remaining students identified as White—while other racial/ethnic groups are present in smaller numbers. 
 

It’s also important to note that the Schoolytics Dashboard suppresses reporting for any subgroup with fewer than 11 students to protect student privacy. As a result, additional groups may not appear visually on the dashboard even though those students are enrolled.

Section 504 comes from Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, one of the nation’s earliest federal civil rights laws protecting individuals with disabilities, and ensures that students are not excluded from or limited in their education because of a disability. An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is governed by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which establishes the legal framework for special education services.

Students with a 504 plan make up approximately 17.9% of the total student population at Tide.

% by grade:

• 9th Grade: 33.3%
• 10th Grade: 33.3%
• 11th Grade: 15.2%
• 12th Grade: 18.2%

Students with 504 plans at TIDE Academy already receive supports that are individualized, portable, and fully implementable at larger comprehensive sites. The following is a summary analysis of the current supports received by TIDE Academy students with 504 plans:

• Academic accommodations: extended time on tests and assignments, alternative testing settings, access to notes, graphic organizers, assistive technology, chunking of assignments, and flexible assessment options.
• Classroom supports: preferential seating, thoughtful peer pairing, frequent check-ins, verbal reminders, written directions, and positive reinforcement.
• Regulation and wellness supports: access to breaks, water, movement, quiet spaces, Wellness Center services, counseling, and health office support.
• Structural supports: reduced schedules when appropriate, flex time, homework centers, tutoring, and intervention supports.

Large comprehensive schools are structurally designed to deliver all of these supports, with:

• Dedicated 504 coordinators/specialists
• Multiple testing locations and proctors
• Wellness centers, counselors, psychologists, nurses, and intervention staff
• Built-in systems for flex time, tutoring, and after-school academic supports

In short, the supports TIDE Academy students receive are not dependent on school size, they are embedded in districtwide systems that are often more robustly accessible at comprehensive sites.

It is a common perception that small schools feel more personal, so many people perceive that 504 supports are easier to implement or more closely monitored. In reality, while small settings can feel more intimate, due to the inherent nature of opportunity at larger schools they may offer greater capacity, consistency, and specialization, including:

• More staff trained in 504 implementation
• Greater flexibility for testing accommodations and alternative settings
• Expanded opportunity for mental health and wellness services
• More academic pathways, electives, and postsecondary preparation options
• Reduced reliance on a single adult to meet all student needs

Rather than reducing support, larger schools distribute responsibility across systems, making services more sustainable and less vulnerable to potential staffing changes simply based on the number of staff available

Sequoia Union High School District is legally required to implement Section 504 plans for eligible students with disabilities, regardless of school size, program model, or site structure. Students with 504 plans in SUHSD are served based on the accommodations, modifications, supports, and/or services outlined in their individual plans, not on comparisons between small and large school settings. Even absent any perceived advantages of a particular school model, SUHSD schools remain fully obligated to provide all accommodations, modifications, supports, and/or services specified in a student’s 504 plan per state and federal guidelines. A student’s enrollment at a comprehensive high school does not diminish or change their rights under Section 504 or the Americans with Disabilities Act. Parents and guardians are full members of the 504 team and may request a review or meeting at any time if concerns arise regarding implementation or appropriateness of accommodations, modifications, supports, and/or services. 

Costs are comparable based on services on the last agreed-upon IEP. Per-student special education costs are expected to remain comparable because the total number of students with IEPs served by the district will not change if TIDE closes. Services are determined by each student’s last agreed-upon IEP, and those services would continue at the receiving comprehensive site. As a result, costs shift in location, not in overall obligation, unless a student’s IEP team later determines that additional services are required based on updated needs.

TIDE does not serve students in specialized programs such as ILS or STARS. Students with those levels of need are already served at their home schools. All comprehensive sites are able to provide the services currently available at TIDE and, in fact, offer a broader continuum of placements and supports. These include academies, concurrent enrollment, Study Skills, counseling, and co-teaching models. If, during a transition, a student requires services beyond what is currently provided, the IEP team would reconvene to assess needs and discuss options. Only if the team determines that additional services are warranted would there be additional cost. Decisions are individualized and data-driven, not automatic. Families often associate school changes with uncertainty about service continuity. These concerns are appropriately addressed through the transition IEP process, where the team reviews each student’s needs and makes recommendations. At that meeting, any necessary supports, staffing, or placements are discussed within the district’s continuum of services.

Any dispute must have a legal basis under IDEA. The district and families have multiple avenues to resolve disagreements before litigation, including IEP meetings, alternative dispute resolution, mediation, and due process. The district’s obligation is to offer a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). When services are appropriately offered and documented through the IEP process, the risk of unilateral placement or litigation is mitigated.

TIDE students can be served at any comprehensive high school because TIDE does not operate specialized programs such as ILS or STARS that students require. All district high schools offer the instructional and support structures currently available at TIDE, including academies, concurrent enrollment, Study Skills, counseling, and co-teaching. In addition, comprehensive sites provide a wider range of placement options should a student’s needs evolve.

It is not possible to provide per-pupil expenditures because they vary by student and are driven by individualized IEP decisions that change over time. Any calculation would represent only a snapshot, not a stable or predictive cost model. For example, a student may initially receive individual speech services for articulation, but after progress and reassessment, the IEP team may determine there is no longer an educational impact and discontinue that service. Costs therefore fluctuate based on student growth, reevaluation, and team decisions.
 

Additionally, services are based on educational impact and need, not on assigning fixed costs to disability categories. The district’s responsibility is to provide FAPE, and expenditures reflect evolving educational needs rather than static per-student pricing models

Dual enrollment at TIDE is delivered in a way that is designed to expand access to college credit within the existing school day, not to create duplicate classes. In many cases, students earning high school credit only and students earning high school and college credit are in the same scheduled class period. For staffing and class-size reporting, the key question is: how many students are physically in that classroom period and how many certificated staff are assigned to support it—not whether students are enrolled in one transcript or two.
 

The January 15 presentation addressed this directly: it clarified that when dual enrollment is “double coded” (high school only vs. high school and college), the students are counted as one combined group for that period—the class is not counted twice simply because there are two enrollment designations. The presentation also clarified that there is not a built-in financial savings simply because a course carries college credit: the district is still staffing the period (either with a credentialed high school teacher, or with a college instructor plus district staff support, depending on the course model).
 

For that reason, dual enrollment is not being used as a stand-alone indicator of inefficiency. Dual enrollment is treated as a core component of the academic model, and the Board is reviewing participation and success data because it is relevant to understanding program value and student outcomes. The operational question in this review is broader: even with program strengths like dual enrollment, TIDE’s overall staffing and master schedule still require a larger share of small sections than the district’s standard staffing ratio supports—especially when enrollment is lower. That is the efficiency question under review: the sustainability of the full program and staffing model as enrollment changes, not whether dual enrollment itself is “wasteful.”

While all schools offer CTE pathways, TIDE is the only school to currently offer CTE pathways in Game Design and Computer Science Programming.  The Summer Skills Program is unique to TIDE. A 3-week enrichment program, originally funded by a K12 Strong Workforce Program Grant and META is now being supported by a Golden State Pathways Grant and the TIDE Foundation. The program is focused on career exploration and skills specific to the two CTE Pathway Industries (Game Design & Computer Science). 

All schools offer some dual enrollment opportunities. However, due to a variety of factors including a cohort model, number of sections/course, the partnership with Foothill College, having an advisory class, and staff that meet minimal qualifications to teach college courses, TIDE is able to offer more dual-enrolled courses, particularly in core subject areas such as English, US History, and all levels of Spanish. Some of the traditional sites offer some of these courses (i.e. Woodside offers US History, Economics, and next year will add Spanish III). 

There are several reasons students do not complete dual enrollment opportunities. TIDE operates on an opt-in model, where students decide in advance whether to enroll in a dual-enrolled course, rather than an opt-out model, where all students are enrolled in the dual-enrolled course and then withdrawn only if they do not submit proper enrollment paperwork, are not recommended for dual enrollment by their teacher (usually due to attendance or other issue) or are not likely to pass with a C- or better. As such, some courses have a higher opt-in rate than others. 
 

The modality of dual enrollment can also affect student achievement: courses taught by a high school instructor who also meets the minimum qualifications to serve as the college course instructor, and courses co-taught by a high school teacher and a college instructor, have the highest success rates. Courses that are concurrently enrolled, meaning the student is taking an online, asynchronous course taught by a college instructor and supported by a high school instructor during their class period, tend to have lower enrollment and completion rates.

If TIDE closes, there are a number of ways students currently enrolled in the CTE sequences to complete pathways at other sites including but not limited to: 1. The district may choose to launch the two pathways at another site(s); 2. Students could enroll in dual enrolled courses at Foothill via concurrent enrollment; 3. Students could enroll in a similar pathway at another site - all sites offer pathways in GID with two programs focused on Graphic Design, one focused in Web Design, and one focused in Graphics and Illustration; 4. Students currently in 9th and 10th grade could choose a different pathway (Note: Except for our Partnership Academies, all CTE pathways at other sites are 2-year pathways). 

Academic outcomes are included to provide a complete picture of TIDE’s performance and student experience as the District evaluates sustainability and long-term options. Community members have consistently highlighted student success as an important consideration, so the review includes academic measures alongside other factors such as enrollment trends, fiscal sustainability, staffing, and program viability.
 

The academic information shared on January 13 came from the Schoolytics Dashboard, which is publicly available on the District website and allows anyone to view the same data and, where available, explore additional detail and disaggregation.

The academic information shared in the January meetings was intended to provide a complete, transparent picture of student outcomes at TIDE alongside other factors being evaluated (enrollment trends, fiscal sustainability, staffing, and program viability). Academic measures should be interpreted with appropriate context, including cohort size, student demographics, and differences in school models.

• Dual enrollment: Dual enrollment is a core component of TIDE’s model and is also offered across the district. The data presented showed high access and participation overall, and also highlighted differences in completion rates between student groups. Identifying differences in completion is not meant to diminish the program’s value; it is meant to ensure the district is looking at both access and outcomes so that supports can be strengthened where needed.
• A–G completion: A–G completion rates should be interpreted alongside student goals and the makeup of the student population, including the proportion of students with IEPs/504 plans and other student needs that may influence course pathways, pacing, and course completion. 
• CAASPP: At a smaller school, CAASPP results can vary significantly year to year because one cohort can meaningfully shift percentages. CAASPP should be interpreted alongside course-taking patterns and other local indicators. The data shared included context that course-taking differences may help explain results in certain years, and that pandemic-era learning conditions impacted preparedness in some subject areas.

Taken together, these measures are meant to support a balanced understanding of outcomes and where additional supports may be needed—not to rely on any single metric.

Charts showing the information below will be shared at the January 26 study session:

• In last year’s SUHSD Class of 2025, there were 1,976 graduates across the district and 64% met A-G.  Of those SUHSD graduates, 67 of them were at TIDE Academy.  Among the graduates at TIDE, 37 of them, or 55%, met the A-G requirements required to apply for admission at the UC/CSU system.  
• Among the 67 graduates at TIDE, 35 were Hispanic/Latinx, and 22 of them were white.  The A-G Completion rate of Hispanic/Latinx graduates at TIDE was 49% (17/35) and the A-G Completion rate of white graduates at TIDE was 68% (15/22).  
• When comparing these outcomes for TIDE’s Hispanic/Latinx Graduates to other schools across the district, TIDE ranks third, after EPAA and Woodside, but higher than the state and county.
• When comparing A-G outcomes for TIDE’s white graduates to other high schools across the district, TIDE ranks last in the district and also below white graduates in San Mateo County.
• Among the 67 graduates at TIDE, 30 were socio-economically disadvantaged (SED) and 13 out of 30 met A-G (43%). Compared to high schools across our district, TIDE ranks fourth out of the seven schools, and below the state and county SED peers.  
• Among the 67 graduates at TIDE, 17 were students with disabilities (SWD) and 7 (41%) met A-G requirements.  TIDE ranks first among the high schools in the district and higher than the county and state peers.  Note that the larger comprehensive high schools have a range of disabilities represented, so this is not an equal comparison.

Students' outcomes on the Spring 2025 CAASPP Assessments (SBAC ELA, SBAC MATH and CAST SCIENCE) are as follows:

SBAC ELA

• Across the District, 66% of juniors met or exceeded standards on the SBAC ELA assessment in Spring 2025, while 60% of Juniors at TIDE (27/45) met or exceeded standards on the SBAC ELA.  
• Out of the 45 Juniors at TIDE who took the SBAC ELA, 34 were Hispanic/Latinx students, and 50% (17/34) met or exceeded standards on the SBAC ELA.  Comparing Hispanic/Latinx juniors across the district, TIDE ranks second after Carlmont, and above the state and the county for the comparable peer group. The remaining ethnic subgroups who tested (5 White students, 4 Pacific Islander students) are too small to report without compromising privacy.  
• Out of the 45 Juniors at TIDE, who took the SBAC ELA, 24 were SED students, and 54% (13/24) met or exceeded standards on the SBAC ELA.  Comparing SED juniors across the district, TIDE ranks second after Carlmont, and above the state and the county for the comparable peer group. 
• Out of the 45 Juniors at TIDE, who took the SBAC ELA, 12 were SWD students, and 25% (3/12) met or exceeded standards on the SBAC ELA.  Comparing SWD juniors across the district, TIDE ranks third after Carlmont and M-A, and above the state and the county for the comparable peer group. 

SBAC Math

• Across the District, 48% of juniors met or exceeded standards on the SBAC Math assessment in Spring 2025, while 23% of Juniors at TIDE (10/44) met or exceeded standards on the SBAC Math.  
• Out of the 44 Juniors at TIDE, who took the SBAC Math, 34 were Hispanic students, and 12% (4/34) met or exceeded standards on the SBAC Math.  Comparing Hispanic/Latinx juniors across the district, TIDE ranks fourth out of seven, and below the state and the county for the comparable peer group. 
• Out of the 44 Juniors at TIDE, who took the SBAC Math, 24 were SED students, and 13% (3/24) met or exceeded standards on the SBAC Math.  Comparing SED juniors across the district, TIDE ranks fourth out of seven, and below the state and the county for the comparable peer group. 
• Out of the 44 Juniors at TIDE, who took the SBAC Math, 12 were SWD students, and 0% (0/12) met or exceeded standards on the SBAC Math.  Comparing SWD juniors across the district, TIDE ranks last among the high schools, and below the state and the county for the comparable peer group. 

CAST Science

• Across the District, 47% of juniors met or exceeded standards on the CAST Science assessment in Spring 2025, while 31% of Juniors at TIDE (14/44) met or exceeded standards on the CAST Science.  
• Out of the 44 Juniors at TIDE, who took the CAST Science, 35 were Hispanic students, and 24% (8/35) met or exceeded standards on the CAST Science.  Comparing Hispanic/Latinx juniors across the district, TIDE ranks fourth out of seven, and below the state for the comparable peer group. 
• Out of the 44 Juniors at TIDE, who took the CAST Science, 24 were SED students, and 25% (6/24) met or exceeded standards on the CAST Science.  Comparing SED juniors across the district, TIDE ranks 2nd in the district, and below the state for the comparable peer group. 
• Out of the 44 Juniors at TIDE, who took the CAST Science, 12 were SWD students, and 8% (1/12) met or exceeded standards on the CAST Science.  Comparing SWD juniors across the district, TIDE ranks 3rd out of 5 in the district, and below the state and the county for the comparable peer group.

A Temporary Superintendent's 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 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 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 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 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 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.

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.

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.

The Temporary Superintendent's Committee has reviewed enrollment data for all schools within the District, and a deeper analysis of these figures will be conducted in January. The 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.

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.

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.

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.  

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.

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.

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.

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. 

Current enrollment as of 12/9/25:

9th:    63

10th:  56

11th:  29

12th:  47

Details about TIDE’s recruitment efforts will be shared at the Jan community meetings.  This information will be updated following those meetings.

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. 

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. 

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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. 

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 the Board votes to close TIDE, placement decisions for students with an IEP are made by the IEP team. 

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. 

The communication and outreach strategy was shared at the December 10 board meeting and can be found here.

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.

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.

The conflict of interest board policy can be found here.