Superintendent Meg Rydman’s fondest experiences at Olive Grove Charter Schools are seeing students at their graduation ceremonies.
With the charter school’s Santa Maria location set to continue educating through June 2031, she’ll have the opportunity to see future classes graduate there, too. The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (SMJUHSD) approved Olive Grove’s renewal petition at a Nov. 4 board meeting.
“We serve a diverse population of students, including those facing health or safety challenges, families in transition, and learners balancing personal, family, or professional goals and needs,” Rydman said in an email interview with the Sun. “Olive Grove teachers have the opportunity to support a student for multiple years, and individualized weekly meetings afford them the time and space to really get to know their students as people.”
In Santa Barbara County, Olive Grove also has campuses in Buellton, Lompoc, and Santa Barbara, which are authorized by other districts. Its center in San Luis Obispo permanently closed in April, according to its website.
The tuition-free, public charter schools offer students in transitional kindergarten through 12th grade personalized learning plans and online independent study. During the 2024-2025 school year, 153 students attended the Santa Maria center, according to the staff report, and the majority were in high school.
Students complete coursework online at home with parents or guardians supervising, according to Olive Grove’s website. It’s meant to be an alternative for students with learning styles and schedules that aren’t suitable for traditional education.
Alma Hernandez, the SMJUHSD school board member representing area 3, said she’s looking forward to the opportunities for local students at Olive Grove.
“I’ve heard a lot of really good experiences at the school, and I just wanted to share my appreciation,” Hernandez said before the vote.
The charter school sought approval from the SMJUHSD because of a 2019 state law requiring Olive Grove to submit a renewal petition to its local district instead of the State Board of Education, according to the staff report. The State Board of Education authorized the charter through June 2026.
One item in the law, AB 1505, allows communities to consider the impacts of charter schools in their region, according to press materials from the state.
“I firmly believe that when the district and the charter school work together, we won’t just expand opportunities, we will strengthen outcomes for all learners,” Rydman said on Nov. 4.
Olive Grove submitted the petition in July, the high school district board held a public hearing on Sept. 9, and staff published the report in October. During the September hearing, community member Nona Matthews spoke about her daughter’s experiences at Olive Grove.
“We can already see a significant difference over the other public school that she has been a part of for six years,” Matthews said at the Sept. 9 meeting. “My daughter is challenged. She’s able to self-pace, be more independent.”
On Nov. 4, the motion passed 4-0. Board member Magdalena Serrano, who represents area 4, recused herself because her child attends Olive Grove.
After the renewal was granted, the SMJUHSD board also passed a memorandum of understanding between the district and the charter school, including a section addressing academic performance, the district’s executive director of teaching and learning, Matt Fraijo, explained.
“One of the things [Rydman] agreed to was that they would find and independent team that has charter school experience and knowledge because some of their internal data was looking good but some of the state stuff not so much,” Fraijo said. “We will support them, but they’ve also agreed to have a team of coaches support.”
With the petition renewed, Rydman said the school will seek to extend its lease at the facility on S. Bradley Road.
“And with that,” Rydman said, “we can look forward to many fruitful years of working together on behalf of the students and families in the Santa Maria Valley.”
This article appears in Nov 13 – Nov 20, 2025.