Families sue to block Menlo Park's TIDE Academy closure

"Nearly 37% of TIDE's roughly 200 students have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 plan - more than double the rate at other Sequoia Union district campuses, according to parents. An IEP provides specialized instruction and learning goals for students with disabilities that affect their academic performance. A 504 plan offers formal accommodations - such as extra time on exams or physical adjustments to a classroom - to ensure students with disabilities have equal access to learning."

"Tide Rising, a parent-led group, filed suit last month alleging the closure - approved by the school board unanimously early February - violates federal anti-discrimination laws and would cause "irreparable harm" to students with disabilities and economically disadvantaged students."

"Opened in 2019 with at least $50 million in bond funds, TIDE Academy is a science, technology, engineering and mathematics-focused high school built to serve 400 students but now enrolling about 200, down from 242 in 2022-23."

TIDE Academy, a specialized STEM high school in Menlo Park serving 200 students, faces closure by June 30 due to district budget deficits. The school, opened in 2019 with $50 million in bond funding, enrolls nearly 37% of students with disabilities—double the rate at other district campuses. Parents argue the closure violates federal anti-discrimination laws and would cause irreparable harm to students relying on TIDE's small, specialized learning environment. The district cites a projected $6 million budget deficit and plans to transfer students to Woodside High School. Parents contend that without TIDE's smaller setting, individualized education programs and 504 plans become ineffective, leaving vulnerable students without adequate support.

Read at The Mercury News