After more than two hours of testimony and discussion, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Education Trustees voted to approve a charter with Almond Acres Academy. The County Board of Education will take over as authorizer when the Charter Agreement with the San Miguel School District expires at the end of June, 2021.
The Almond Acres Academy Charter School appealed to the county board after the Paso Robles School Board rejected their application. Almond Acres wants to move to a new campus on Niblick Road just west of Creston Road. The charter school has already developed plans for the campus on the site of a church which closed. Plans have already been developed for buildings on the new campus.
Several dozen speakers spoke for Almond Acres including teachers, parents, and community members. The community members included San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Debbie Arnold, Tom Bordonaro, accountant Steve Hovey, Marjorie Hamon, and former Templeton Principal and founding member of Almond Acres Jim Fortenakus.
Only two people spoke publicly against the proposal. Clare Crawford spoke against it. She cited findings by the ACLU concerning inclusionary statistics in charter schools, including Almond Acres. Also, Ms. Ann Swinburn of the California Teachers Association said she opposed the county working with Almond Academy. She said Almond Acres Charter Academy does not reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the community of San Miguel.
After more than two hours of discussion and testimony, trustee Diane Ward of Paso Robles moved that the San Luis Obispo County Board of Education grant the Almond Acres Charter Academy petition. Trustee George Galvan of Atascadero seconded the motion. The vote was 4-1, with Board President Paul Madonna casting the lone dissenting vote.
As a result, Almond Acres Charter Academy can move from San Miguel to the site on Niblick Road. Their authorizer will be the San Luis Obispo County Board of Education, not the Paso Robles School District.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Bob Borgault of Almond Acres Charter Academy thanked the County Board of Trustees and the county staff, including Dr. James Brescia, for their hard work in studying and ultimately approving their plan.
