Sacramento schools for refugees are in trouble, but need a second chance | Opinion

One of the Sacramento region’s most important public schools has also been one of its most troubled, but shutting it down is simply not an option.

The Highlands Community Charter and Technical Schools, overseen by the Twin Rivers School District, is now a shadow of its former self, down from 6,000 students to roughly 1,500. That is because in 2024, a blistering state audit — following the revelations of an ABC10 investigation — found just about every financial and educational problem imaginable.

Hundreds of teachers lacked their necessary credentials, and when on campus, only taught a portion of the time. Attendance records were lax. The state demanded $180 million of its money back. And the Twin Rivers board this November took the first steps to revoking the school’s charter, with the hope that such a drastic move would not prove necessary.

“Ultimately our goal is to ensure all schools operating with Twin Rivers umbrella, whether district or charter, are honest stewards of public resources fully aligned with our shared commitment to ethical, lawful and high quality education for all,” Board President Christine Jeffries said at the time. “We are not there yet. It is my hope that we get there.”

It is our hope that the Twin Rivers District maintains the Highlands charter for the sake of their students, many adult refugees from Afghanistan who have fled the brutality of the Taliban. The charter school also serves immigrants from Ukraine.

Especially now, when the federal government is terrorizing immigrant communities, the loss of Highland Community charter would be devastating to populations of people already living in fear.

There’s plenty of blame to go around for the financial mess at Highlands. The boards at Highlands and Twin Rivers, with proper oversight, could have prevented this chaos long ago. That the state had to step in is a black eye to both institutions. The unearthed problems are certainly worthy of a school that refuses to reform to lose its charter.

But the problem here is that there is no alternative school in Twin Rivers to take on this mission. There are adult education programs that students could access in various districts around the region. But the Highlands Community Charter and Technical Schools provides a free education for students 22 and older. They offer career education, job placement, child care and other services that extend beyond the classroom.

And under a new board and new management, Highlands is showing all the outward signs of a school that is steadily getting its act together.

Jonathan Raymond, a former superintendent of the Sacramento City Unified School District, has taken over the helm at Highlands. He is implementing both financial and educational reforms. And he is working with Twin Rivers management to correct the district’s list of deficiencies as a necessary step before resolving the state’s demand for money back, which will inevitably be a negotiation.

The next crucial step is Tuesday night, as the Twin Rivers board is scheduled to consider a plan to allow Highlands to continue instruction at 13 local sites. Otherwise, Highlands would have to shrink even more.

It’s unfortunate that the old Highlands didn’t adequately serve one of our most vulnerable populations. But the new Highlands deserves a chance because these residents deserve a path to a better life. These are immigrants who are in school because they want to be productive, tax-paying members of this community. They simply need the language and educational skills to do so.

Effective and collaborative oversight by Twin Rivers is crucial to this valiant attempt at a comeback by Highlands. The school has a long way to go, but it’s clearly on the right path. We simply can’t fail these new members of our community again.

This story was originally published January 13, 2026 at 5:00 AM.