The Menifee Union School District Board approved a five-year charter renewal for Santa Rosa Academy on Tuesday, allowing the school to continue operating through June 2032.
The board unanimously approved the renewal following a presentation on the district’s review of the charter school.
Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Dr. Charles Newman said the district’s review found no concerns related to fiscal management, governance or enrollment patterns, while students showed academic growth in the data reviewed from 2023 to 2025.
English language arts scores increased from 7.4 points above the state standard in 2023 to 15.4 points above the standard in 2025. Math scores remained below the state standard but improved from 37.4 points below the standard in 2023 to 27.4 points below in 2025.
Newman also pointed to growth in the number of graduating students considered prepared for college and careers. The percentage increased from 29.7 percent in 2023 to 38 percent in 2024 and 48.3 percent in 2025.
The district did identify some areas where it wanted to see improvement, including chronic absenteeism among certain student groups.
In 2025, chronic absenteeism was reported at 25 percent among African American students, 17.6 percent among students with disabilities and 14.8 percent among socioeconomically disadvantaged students.
“We’ve asked Santa Rosa to create a very targeted plan to target these specific groups to help them improve,” Newman said.
Newman said Santa Rosa has already submitted that plan and worked with the district on other updates to its charter petition during the renewal process.
“The conditions that were asked were also met with our execution of the absenteeism improvement plan,” Newman said, adding that the district will continue working with Santa Rosa in that area.
Following the vote, Santa Rosa Academy Superintendent Dr. Robert Hennings thanked the board for its unanimous support and said the renewal gives the school stability as it looks ahead to the next five years.
“This decision affirms the strong partnership we share and the confidence our authorizer has in the work our educators, families, and students do every day,” Hennings said in a message to the Santa Rosa Academy community. “It provides the stability and runway we need to continue delivering an outstanding K–12 experience rooted in academic excellence, character, belonging, and the Ranger Way.”
Santa Rosa’s current charter expires June 30, 2027, with the renewed term beginning the following day.
