February 2026 ACCS - Item 3 Public Comment 4

Dear Advisory Commissioners,

My name is Lea Lippincott. In the nearly 8 years that I have worked for the Olive Grove Charter Schools, I have had the privilege of working one-on-one with students and families who were not finding success in the public school system. The Olive Grove student body is a diverse group stemming from all backgrounds. I've had students who were pursuing professional acting or sports and could not attend a traditional classroom-based school every day, students who were experiencing heartbreaking and ongoing ridicule and intimidation from their peers, students with debilitating social anxiety, and countless students who were struggling to keep up academically in what they experienced as an overstimulating and fast-paced environment. In all of these cases, for one reason or a combination of many, the student struggled in public school. I'd like to focus on the story of one such student with whom I have a very personal connection.

My son was in public school for seven years. He qualified for his IEP in 1st grade (for ED and OHI) and since then, his gen ed teachers, resource teachers, and members of admin at 3 different schools did everything within their means to support his learning. Yet the unfortunate truth is that most of the time his ability to learn was completely overshadowed by the overwhelm of social dynamics with his classmates, comparing himself to others, and heaps and heaps of self-doubt and self-loathing. By the end of 6th grade, teachers were reporting that he was refusing to do any work in the classroom, and on top of that, he was doing anything within his power to get out of class: making obnoxious noises to get sent to the principal's office, poking other students with pencils, even picking his fingers until they bled so he could go to the nurse. On his way back to class he would normally wander the campus, disrupt other classrooms, or go out and play in the field. He was obstinate and disrespectful. You can imagine the calls and emails we got each week. His teachers and admin were so patient and willing to try anything to help. On multiple occasions, they asked my husband and I what we would recommend, but we were out of ideas. He really was - and is - a totally different kid at home. He failed all of his classes in 6th grade.

Fast forward to today - my son is proud to be an Olive Grove owl. 7th grade has been going really well. For the most part, he can work on one or two subjects per day, which helps him focus and digest new information. He clearly works much better in the mornings compared to the afternoons, which reminds me of all the exasperation his teachers were experiencing in the afternoon periods last year. He's getting tons of valuable one-on-one time with Mom. He's a beloved visitor at the Santa Barbara learning center and gets tons of positive attention and feedback from the staff. His grades look awesome and he is demonstrating measurable growth in his reading and math skills, according to diagnostic testing. But most importantly, his mental health and self-image have vastly improved. For the first time since I met my son when he was 6 years old, he has started saying things like, "I'm proud of myself." "I like reading." "School is going great!"

It used to be that I would hear the other kids' reaction to my son being dropped off: "Ugh, he's here." I can only imagine the kind of stress his teachers were experiencing as they tried to address his behaviors and learning deficits while also teaching a full room of other students. Now, I hardly hear a negative report about my son. He's described as being cheerful and helpful and respectful. He works so hard. He's a joy to have around. We know! We've known all along.

My son's story is unique, but we experience similar stories of growth every day with our students at OGCS. Since becoming an Olive Grove parent, it has become even more abundantly clear to me that our school offers an important alternative to classroom-based learning. Students and their families deserve options when it comes to education, and Olive Grove hopes to continue in its goal of providing an alternative so that more students - like my son - can reach their full potential.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Onward,
Lea Lippincott