Sequoia Union High School District is considering closing TIDE Academy

TIDE Academy opened in August 2019 to a class of approximately 100 ninth graders. In the 2023-24 school year, 208 students were enrolled. The school prioritizes the studies noted in the TIDE acronym — technology, innovation, design and engineering

The school was promoted as an alternative, hands-on project based learning environment preparing students for college and career pathways, and it offers dual enrollment with Foothill College. Students who graduate from TIDE earn an average of 42 college credits, according to a 2023-24 School Accountability Report Card.

However, its small size means it “requires a disproportionate amount of resources to operate,” Thompson said. 

In the 2023-24 school year, TIDE Academy spent $22,406 per student through unrestricted funds, compared to the average of $19,401 throughout the rest of the district. 

Leach is currently preparing a clear plan for how the district would discuss and consider the possibility of closing the campus, everything from how the district will communicate with students, families and staff, to the legal steps that must be taken. 

The discussion will then inform the Board of Trustees that will likely vote on the matter in February, Thompson said. Should the board vote in favor of moving forward, the closure would occur at the end of the school year, in May 2026.

“I want to be very clear, no one on the board wants to close a school,” Thompson said. “We understand how deeply that possibility affects students, families and staff, and we do not take that impact lightly.” 

Of the 208 students enrolled in the 2023-24 school year, 59.6% were Latino, 26% were white, 3.8% were Asian, 2.9% were Black, 2.4% were native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 1% were Filipino. The majority of students were male, at 61.5%, and 40.9% were designated as socioeconomically disadvantaged. 

“At the same time, we have a duty to look honestly at our overall financial picture, including our structural deficit and the costs of operating very small schools, and ask whether we are creating the best possibility or opportunities for all of our students, including those currently at TIDE,” Thompson said. 

The matter will be presented and discussed at the board’s meeting at 6 p.m. Dec. 10, at the district office.