Facing $1M gap, charter school weighs moving students from Lincoln to Roseville
After three consecutive years of budget deficits and a projected shortfall close to a million dollars, John Adams Academy is considering eliminating its Lincoln secondary program and relocating 124 high school students to its Roseville campus next school year.
John Adams Academy is a tuition-free charter school funded based on average daily attendance. Its in-person campuses are open to any California student in transitional kindergarten through 12th grade, space permitting. The online program is available to families in Placer, Nevada, Sutter, Yuba, Sacramento and El Dorado counties.
During a slideshow presentation at last week’s board meeting, John Adams officials said the Lincoln campus has operated at a deficit for three years and is projecting a $950,000 shortfall for the upcoming school year.
The campus would need 101 additional high school students to move toward a positive financial position and avoid consolidation, according to the presentation. Officials said Lincoln’s TK-8 program has a waiting list of more than 600 students, while high school enrollment has stagnated.
If approved, the Lincoln campus would become a TK-8 program. High school students would be invited to transfer to Roseville or enroll in the online program. The Lincoln high school currently has 125 students; Roseville has about 300, officials said.
Officials said Lincoln students would be guaranteed enrollment in Roseville if the board approves the change.
In an email to families last month, Superintendent Troy Henke said consolidation would allow the Roseville campus at 1 Sierra Gate Plaza to remain TK-12 and the Lincoln campus at 1797 Bella Breeze Drive to focus on TK-8, while expanding academic offerings on both campuses.
“Given the current Lincoln high school size and projection for next year, this consolidation will enable us to grow our current academic offerings at both campuses,” Henke said. “Should the board move to approve, we will act quickly to work with families on providing solutions to ease and support the transition. I believe this restructure will help us put us in the best position to move forward and entertain a high school program in Lincoln later.”
Carlos Yniguez, an outreach and compliance specialist, said administrators and finance staff are exploring alternatives while preparing for possible board action at the March 12 meeting.
Consolidation won’t require WPUSD approval
The Lincoln campus is authorized by Western Placer Unified School District.
A district spokesperson said its role is limited to reviewing financial reports and approving charter renewals. The district does not oversee day-to-day operations or structure.
“That said, WPUSD anticipates an increase in high school enrollment as a result of their decision to move to a TK-8 model,” the district said.
District officials said John Adams notified them it was considering the shift, which would not require district approval. Under state law, grade-level changes typically require approval during renewal. The academy, operating under a COVID-19 extension, is not up for renewal until June 2027 but could submit a material revision request.
During the Feb. 24 meeting, parents raised concerns about transportation and scheduling, particularly families with children at both campuses. Board members, who delayed the vote on consolidation, said they were exploring transportation options.
One student questioned how the move could affect teachers.
“Each teacher shows us genuine care. Like Mrs. Hatfield. I love doing choir with her and I don’t want any of the VAPA (Visual and Performing Arts program on campus) to potentially lose what they love,” said Addison McKinsey, a ninth-grader at the Lincoln campus. “All of the teachers support us, not only academically but also mentally and physically.”
John Adams officials have not outlined plans for Lincoln secondary staff if the merger moves forward.
Enrollment numbers, graduation requirements
Enrollment data from the 2024-25 school year shows a drop from middle school to senior year. The senior class has 36 students while the eighth grade class has 128 enrolled.
The academy’s secondary schools — in Lincoln, Roseville and El Dorado Hills, as well as online — are known for their rigorous curriculum designed to meet or exceed UC and CSU admission requirements.
“Our graduates continue to be accepted at large universities, UC campuses, community colleges, trade schools, and entrepreneurial ventures. A common theme among them is how well prepared they feel for the next stage of their education,” a spokesperson for the schools said. “They consistently report that their transition is remarkably smooth because they were exceptionally well-educated and equipped to succeed.”
Despite that track record, the academy is facing allegations tied to its academic reporting.
In a lawsuit filed in December 2024, a former administrator alleged academic fraud, claiming she was discouraged from sharing low standardized test scores with the board and state agencies. She refused, calling it unethical and fraudulent.
School officials denied any misreporting.
“All of our campuses consistently exceed state averages in every major academic performance measure,” the spokesperson said. “In fact, our Lincoln campus has been designated by the state as a high-performing charter school for the past three years.”
The Lincoln campus has been flagged for its Compliance and Improvement Monitoring status.
Ginese Quann, assistant superintendent of the El Dorado County Office of Education’s Charter Special Education Local Plan Area, said the designation is based on multiple data sources, including compliance indicators such as timely evaluations, implementation of individualized education programs and transition planning. It also considers graduation rates, dropout rates, statewide assessments and any identified noncompliance.
The California School Dashboard uses a color-coded system to measure performance, ranging from red (very low) to blue (very high), with orange, yellow and green marking the middle tiers. At the Lincoln campus, students with disabilities are rated “red” overall and in English language arts, and “orange” or low in math and suspensions. It rated highest, “blue,” for English learner progress, according to the dashboard.
Students with disabilities at the Lincoln campus are in the “red” grouping for English language arts. For academic performance in math and suspension dashboard results, students with disabilities are in the “orange” zone.
According to the California Special Education Technical Assistance Network, Hispanic students at the Lincoln campus are disproportionately identified with specific learning disabilities.
“It reflects a statistical pattern in statewide data, not a finding of discrimination, and allows us to work with our SELPA to review systems and strengthen supports for all scholars,” school officials said.
Quann said the process is intended to improve systems and outcomes.
“It is a systems-improvement tool,” she said. “It elevates strengths, surfaces patterns and potential inequities in service delivery, and informs capacity-building efforts to ensure students with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environments.”
