Board tables decision on closing Washington Unified Virtual Academy after debate on enrollment and alternatives

The Washington Unified School District presented a recommendation to end the Washington Unified Virtual Academy (WUVA) in its current model after steady enrollment decline and ongoing pressure on the general fund.

CBO/Presenter Monique Stovall said WUVA enrollment has fallen from roughly 260 students at its peak to 45 this year, with average daily attendance about 91 percent. She said the program has required ongoing general-fund support and that the district expects an unrestricted-general-fund contribution of approximately $140,000 this year.

Stovall described staffing (two certificated teachers, one certificated administrator, classified support) and student demographics (English learners, students with IEPs, families in transition). She said about 13 current students are eighth graders who would matriculate to high school; staff proposed transition supports for remaining students and outreach to families about enrollment options, including returning to resident schools or intra-district transfers.

Trustees and staff discussed alternatives, including operating the model as a program within an existing school (a "school within a school") to remove the separate CDS code and reduce administrative costs, and whether programmatic supports could be preserved without the separate school structure. Trustees also discussed statutory deadlines for layoff notices (March timeline) and the district's obligations to follow CDE rules for closing a school.

Outcome: After extended discussion and public comment, the board voted to table the action and set a special meeting for Feb. 19 to receive additional information (legal implications, staffing bumping rights, program alternatives and more precise fiscal projections). The motion to table was made by Trustee Kirk Hunt and seconded by Vice President Castro; the board approved the motion.

Representative quotes:
"We're recommending that 2025-26 be the last year in operation in its current model," Stovall said, citing enrollment and fiscal pressure. "Closing WUVA would allow us to allocate funds or resources to other sites."

Next steps: Staff agreed to gather detailed options (program-within-a-school models, CDS-code implications, precise contribution calculations, and human-resources timelines for layoff notices) and to return for a February special meeting for further action.