There were no public comments.

There was nothing reported from the board.

There was nothing reported from the CEO.

Assistant Superintendent for Student Support Services Erin Whalen reported to the board the successful acquisition of a grant for a new counselor residency program in partnership with Loyola Marymount University (LMU), an initiative that has been in development for two years. This program is designed to create a pipeline of diverse, mission-aligned counselors who will spend an entire year in an in-house residency at DaVinci schools, including RISE, while completing their credentials. In addition to this residency, the school is advancing its Social Emotional Learning (SEL) efforts through a partnership with the Social Emotional Wellness Initiative. They are currently seeking further grants to fund a full-time Master of Social Work (MSW) supervisor to manage a team of interns. This expanded social work capacity is critical for addressing "Tier 3 and Tier 4" challenges, such as family food instability, which often fall outside the traditional scope of school counselors but significantly impact student attendance and well-being.

The Executive Director of Special Education reported to the board that the Special Education department is focused on the "good grind" of maintaining compliance within a rolling enrollment model. With new students arriving throughout the year, the team continuously assesses each individual to ensure IEPs and support services are immediately addressed. This ongoing effort is vital for the 24% of the student body receiving services, ensuring every student has the resources they need to succeed regardless of when they enroll.

Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services, Vicente Bravo, reported that on February 7th, DaVinci schools will host a specialized heart health event in collaboration with a professional cardiologist and the Los Angeles Chargers. The ambitious goal for the day is to provide 350 heart screenings for the community, a vital service given the health challenges faced by many of the school's families. To support the dedicated team of volunteers working throughout the day, Wildbird restaurant has generously offered to provide meals, ensuring the event runs smoothly and that everyone involved is well-cared for as they work toward this significant public health milestone.

Principal Naomi Lara reported that as of January 2026, DaVinci RISE High serves 157 students across its Richstone and APCH sites. The student body is characterized by significant high-need populations, including 24% with IEPs, 21% English Learners, and a combined 25% who are current or former foster or probation youth. Additionally, 10% of students face housing instability, and 7% are pregnant or parenting. Despite these challenges, attendance has steadily improved to a current year-to-date average of 72.45%, continuing a positive multi-year upward trend.

Recent school activities emphasize professional growth and student achievement, following the successful completion of "RISE Winter PD Week" for staff. As the team prepares for the Quarter 3 and CTE Pathway launches, student success was highlighted through a competitive analysis project by the "Bee-Zee and Bailey Company." The semester concluded with a showcase video documenting the various milestones and progress made by students and staff throughout the first half of the school year.

School CFO Michael Amato provided a positive financial update, noting that current financial statements show no significant variances as they align with the recently revised first interim budget. The primary focus of his report was Governor Newsom’s 2026-27 budget proposal, which suggests a stabilizing and positive outlook for state finances. Key highlights include a proposed LCFF annual Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) of 2.41%—a slight increase from the current year’s 2.3%—and the potential "re-upping" of several one-time grant programs. Specifically, the Governor is proposing a new discretionary block grant and continued funding for the Learning Recovery Emergency Block Grant (LREBG).

Regarding the Community Schools Grant, Amato confirmed that while the Governor is proposing an additional $1 billion for the program, RISE is already funded through its original five-year grant for the 2026-27 school year. While the school would be eligible for a new tranche of money starting in 2027-28, the specific impact on RISE remains to be determined. Despite the generally optimistic state forecast, Amato cautioned that economic and federal uncertainties remain, and final budget figures will not be confirmed until the May revision or June adoption.

The board moved into closed session to conference with legal counsel.

The board reconvened from closed session with nothing to report.