Sanger parents and trustees question move to drop Hallmark school’s charter status
Sanger Unified School District’s effort to merge Hallmark K-12 Charter school and the independent study program Taft Academy, dropping Hallmark’s charter status in the process, has been met with outcry from Hallmark alumni, students, and staff.
Several trustees joined the conversation at the district’s school board meeting Tuesday night, voicing concerns and opposition to the change.
District officials have said the move is necessary to combat declining enrollment at Hallmark and a need to expand resources for Taft’s growing student population. But critics have questioned whether that will limit access to Hallmark, given that students from outside of Sanger would need an interdistrict transfer to attend the school.
“Open enrollment versus closed enrollment is the question here,” said Trustee Tammy Wolfe.
Wolfe said some students who can’t find what they’re looking for in traditional public schools have found what they “not just want, but need” at Hallmark and should not face any additional barriers to attending school.
Trustee Va Her also questioned the need to take action on enrollment trends from the past two school years, given the outsize effect of the pandemic on enrollment data. Districts across the state saw notable drops in K-12 enrollment this year. While charter school enrollment has bucked that trend since 2015, charter schools also saw a decline this year.
Deputy Superintendent Eduardo Martinez said the downward trend in enrollment makes it difficult to continue staffing and supporting classrooms while consolidating the two would allow for growth.
The board did not take any formal action regarding Hallmark’s charter status on Tuesday. Assistant Superintendent Tim Lopez presented a draft resolution to dissolve the charter, effective June 30, 2023.
Superintendent Adela Jones told the Education Lab that the board would have to approve the resolution to dissolve the charter. A school board vote has yet to be scheduled.
“The community conversation is still taking place,” said district spokesperson Cary Catalano in an interview with the Ed Lab. “No official action has been approved or denied.”
Parents, alumni, and teachers also spoke out in opposition to dropping the charter.
One community member read a statement on behalf of her brother Aiden Ledbetter, an alumni of Hallmark who is now studying at the University of California, Davis. Ledbetter’s statement stressed that Sanger provided options for students in unique circumstances, such as high-achieving students or those with jobs.
“It works for the students that fall through the cracks of our inherently flawed education system,” his statement read.
Sara Florez, a Hallmark alumna, and parent, questioned why the board considered any other solutions that allow Hallmark to keep their charter status, calling the proposed consolidation a “very bad business decision for our children.”
The next Sanger Unified board meeting is scheduled to take place May 24.
The Education Lab is a local journalism initiative that highlights education issues critical to the advancement of the San Joaquin Valley. It is funded by donors. Learn about The Bee’s Education Lab at its website.
