By Williamena Kwapo | OBSERVER Staff Writer
The Sacramento City Unified School District board on Sept. 18 unanimously approved the charter renewal for St. HOPE Public Schools, securing the future of its network for the next five years.
The renewal grants all St. HOPE schools – PS7 Elementary, PS7 Middle, and Sacramento High School – charter status through the 2029-30 school year. This decision follows months of scrutiny after the district sent a letter in July outlining allegations of conflicts of interest, accounting practices, and issues concerning teacher qualifications.
St. HOPE submitted a detailed response and plan of action on the district’s Aug. 26 deadline. With the Sept. 18 unanimous vote, the school’s leadership, staff, and community celebrated.
Superintendent Lisa Ruda and President and CEO Cassandra Jennings expressed pride and relief over the decision. “We are elated,” Ruda said. “While the process was rough at times and a bit murkier than anybody wanted, the result was, without a doubt, the right one.”
“The vote really just gave us the support and confidence that we all care about the work that we’re doing,” Jennings added. “The goal is really to collaborate along the way so that we often achieve better results.”
In a letter to the St. HOPE students and community, Jennings announced she would step down from St. HOPE’s school board but would continue as president and CEO. “I am deeply invested in PS7 and Sac High schools’ success and am excited to continue my volunteer efforts throughout the community,” she wrote.
Founded in 2003 by former Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, St. HOPE has made significant strides in educating underserved populations.
Jennings and Ruda said they plan to expand St. HOPE’s impact. They are focused on finishing construction at PS7 Elementary, where they’ll add 31 new classrooms, outdoor play areas, and more while also looking to increase enrollment at Sac High to serve more families and students.
Staff, students, and families, as they had throughout the process, turned out in large numbers to the meeting at which the charter was renewed.
“We were incredibly united as a staff, student, and family network, knowing our work would drive the results,” Ruda said.
Support for this Sacramento OBSERVER article was provided to Word In Black (WIB) by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. WIB is a collaborative of 10 Black-owned media that includes print and digital partners.