tages of UPA’s small population size. “There was a point where I think I knew the name of all the kids at school and they knew who I was, and you don’t see that at a big public school,” Mastrogiacomo said.
that asterisk that speaks out and calls out to ask you to reconsider your model,” Rossi said. “If you’re not serving foster youth, if you’re not not serving English learners that have not been reclassified, if you’re not serving that new arrival from GuatemaRossi’s “no” vote la who is living with their aunt and uncle Song was not the only board member because of your requirements, then you’re with concerns at the meeting. Trustee Clau- not serving underrepresented students, and dia Rossi (Area 7) demonstrated her dedi- that was part of your initial introduction as cation to underprivileged students early. one of your goals. I just want to explain to During the portion of clarifying ques- you why as a Latina, as an English learner tions, Rossi asked about special education and as a parent of a special ed student, I students who have Individualized Educa- cannot vote ‘yes.’” ANNA SONG tion Programs (IEPs). Rossi communicatRossi went on to explain that her intenIn January 2020, Porter acknowledged ed her worry that even though annual IEPs tion behind the “no” vote was not to close Song’s point and noted that her person- are legally mandated to have exactly one the school. Very few charter schools in the al experiences and the constituency she meeting a year and UPA allows for extra Santa Clara County are shut down, Accordserves influenced her interpretation of the meetings based on parent requests, this fre- ing to the SCCOE’s 2019 Charter School comment. quency of meetings was insufficient and Report, over the past 16 years, approxi“Education is one of those things that does not allow students’ progress to be vig- mately only 18% of reauthorizations were everyone participates in so everyone denied, with nine of those 15 charknows it more deeply and knows ters being permanently closed. it more emotionally than almost “I agree, fundamentally, that any other field,” Porter explained. we have work to do,” Porter said “Education is one of those “We’ve all been patients, but we’ve retrospectively to Rossi’s point. “I never been doctors.” things that everyone could show you tons of data that we He continued by emphasizing participates in so everyone bring to the board every month sayUPA’s commitment to teaching all ing that there are students who are students no matter their background knows it more deeply and struggling at UPA, and we want betand felt he should have made that knows it more emotionally ter results for them. I think it comes point more clear during his presenfrom a genuine, authentic and caring tation before the SCCOE board. than almost any other field. place.” Although UPA does not handPorter did not, however, agree We’ve all been patients, but pick its students, it does share certhat requiring AP classes for graduatain advantages with private schools, we’ve never been doctors.” tion is discriminatory. such as a smaller population of stu“It now creates space for adults dents. Therefore, UPA can respond to withhold energy and creativity in to individual needs of students with developing and dedicating resources more ease. to all students, and it allows students “That’s a societal issue, the fact that we ilantly tracked. to opt out,” Porter said. “Failure becomes don’t fully want to subscribe to supporting Porter explained that UPA partners with an option.” education as the No. 1 product that we do the Santa Clara County in order to have a CLAUDIA ROSSI as a shared society,” Porter said. “If we’re manager that closely monitors IEPs on a truly dedicated to that, then every school regular basis and one full time special eduwould have many more employees and cation teacher, fitting in with normal ratios. many more vehicles and systems for being “As the IEP is functioning to meet the able to respond to each individual need.” student’s needs, we’d like to have them in Director of Special Programs Jean Mas- the least restrictive environment possible,” trogiacomo has been a part of UPA since Director of Curriculum and Instruction its second year of operation, approximately Matt Daugherty said. “And so we do IEPs a decade longer than Porter. She remem- as called upon by the law.” bers the “private school at a public cost” Beyond IEPs, Rossi felt UPA’s graduaslogan being more popular during UPA’s tion requirement of passing two Advanced early years but believes it is now used less Placement (AP) courses discriminated frequently. against students without stable housing or Mastrogiacomo interpreted the com- the ability to focus completely on school. ment similarly to Porter in that the motiIn the end, Rossi was the only “no” vote vation behind the phrase was not to belittle of the night. public schools but rather explain the advan“My vote of ‘no’ is because I want to be
—David Porter
IN-DEPTH | 18
