Capo's New Online High School May Be on Chopping Block

Is the future of a budding online school in jeopardy?

When Capistrano Unified School District’s budget subcommittee looked at how each school pencils out financially this week, the numbers looked grim for California Preparatory Academy, an Internet-based school in its first full year.

It doesn’t yet come close to covering its costs.

Schools receive money from the state based on how many students attend. When last discussed by the school board, CalPrep’s enrollment was hovering around 100.

By comparison, Capistrano Connections Academy, an online charter high school, has 1,825 students, according to Principal Richard Savage. The school serves all of Southern California but is based out of Capo Unified in Aliso Viejo. 

CUSD Superintendent Joseph Farley said at Thursday’s budget meeting the district was spending $500,000 to $600,000 to keep the school afloat.

The school isn’t attracting the “right kids,” Farley said.

“The wrong type of kids were referred, and they didn’t have the self-discipline,” Farley said about a program that requires students to be self-starters.

The school board spent much time last year discussing CalPrep, even changing its name when trustees decided to overrule a committee’s suggestion for West View Academy.

Trustees envisioned an academically rigorous school with University of California-approved courses, science labs and opportunities to take advantage of some of the high school experience at the district’s six brick-and-mortars. Staff said the school would attract actors, Olympic hopefuls and other students who couldn't attend traditional schools.

Most of all, they hoped the school would attract students from outside the school district, sending additional funds to the cash-strapped district.

“When developed, it was going to generate income … or be a break-even,” Farley said Thursday.

Now, Trustee Jim Reardon is hoping CalPrep is just one of the programs the board could consider chopping as it goes about trimming $20 million for the 2013-14 school budget. He said trustees need to decide whether the value of certain educational programs supersedes the value of an extra school day or less-crowded classrooms for all students.