Highlands Schools to Remain Open in Sacramento
Sacramento County Board of Education overturns charter revocation
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento County Board of Education voted Tuesday night to overturn a decision by Twin Rivers Unified School District to revoke the charter of Highlands Community Charter School, allowing the school to remain open.
The board voted 4-3 in favor of Highlands’ appeal. The decision is especially significant for hundreds of Afghan immigrant, refugee and adult students in Sacramento who rely on the school for English classes, high school diplomas and career education.
“Students were seen and heard tonight,” Highlands Executive Director Jonathan Raymond said after the vote. “We’ll be back in classrooms tomorrow.”
In a statement, Highlands officials said the decision allows the school to continue serving students while rebuilding and strengthening the organization under new leadership.
School leaders thanked students, staff, families, and community organizations for attending the hearing and speaking in support of the school. They said the testimony showed what Highlands means to the community.
The decision reverses Twin Rivers’ January action to revoke the charter after a California state audit found financial and management problems at Highlands.
Highlands is a nonprofit educational organization in the Sacramento area that serves immigrants, refugees, English-language learners, and formerly incarcerated people. About 60% of its students are Afghan immigrants, according to the school community.
The state audit found that Highlands improperly received about $180 million in public funding during the 2022 through 2024 fiscal years. The audit also cited wasteful spending, inappropriate hiring practices, overcrowded classrooms, unqualified teachers, and weak academic outcomes.
Despite those findings, many students and supporters told the board Tuesday that Highlands has played an important role in helping immigrants and refugees continue their education and rebuild their lives.
More than 200 people attended the hearing. Some supporters held signs reading “Stand With Immigrants” and urged the board to keep the school open.
