September 11, 2025
Highlands Community Charter and Technical Schools opened in Sacramento in 2014 with high ideals — to help adult students, many formerly incarcerated or new immigrants, to earn a diploma, improve English language skills, or learn a trade. Now, the school is an example lawmakers and advocates point to as a reason for increasing charter school oversight.
A state audit found the charter received millions of dollars in funding for which it was not eligible, assigned teachers to classes they were not credentialed to teach, and avoided standardized testing, in addition to spending on non-education-related items such as a trip to Paris and leasing a semi-professional ballpark.
Guests:
- Jacob Walker, Co-founder, Highlands Community Charter and Technical Schools
- Diana Lambert, Reporter, EdSource
Read more from EdSource:
- How a Sacramento charter school misused $180 million and became a poster child for reform
- Former Sacramento superintendent takes charge at troubled charter school
Education Beat is a weekly podcast hosted by EdSource’s Zaidee Stavely and produced by Coby McDonald.
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