"Citing mounting budget pressures, the Sequoia Union High School District board voted unanimously Wednesday to close Menlo Park's TIDE Academy, an institution that has been open for less than a decade in one of the nation's wealthiest counties. Officials said the decision comes as the district faces a projected $6 million structural deficit by the end of the school year, alongside declining enrollment and rising costs that they warned could otherwise lead to teacher layoffs and program cuts across other campuses."
"Opened in 2019 as a science, technology, engineering and mathematics school, TIDE Academy was built at a cost of $50 million utilizing bond funds. It was designed to accommodate up to 400 students. Currently, the school serves nearly 200, down from 242 in the 202223 school year, according to district data. In earlier public meetings, parents and community members called the figures used to justify the closure cherry-picked, saying they ignored the impact of COVID-19 and other factors on enrollment."
Sequoia Union High School District voted unanimously to close Menlo Park's TIDE Academy because of mounting budget pressures and a projected $6 million structural deficit by year end. Total projected district spending for 2025–2026 is $259,562,294. Declining enrollment and rising costs contributed to the decision; the academy currently serves nearly 200 students, down from 242 in 2022–23, and the campus was built to hold up to 400. TIDE Academy opened in 2019 at a $50 million bond-funded construction cost. The school provides dual-enrollment courses with Foothill College, specialized support for students with disabilities, and reports a graduation rate close to 100%.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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