SAN DIEGO, CA — San Diego County will launch a series of public meetings beginning Wednesday to gather feedback on the future of the San Pasqual Academy, an Escondido campus serving foster youth.
Residents can participate in four community sessions -- two of them virtual -- to ask questions, share ideas and learn more, according to a county statement.
Wednesday's meeting will begin at 10 a.m. at the county Child and Family Well-Being Office, 8965 Balboa Ave. in Kearny Mesa.
The second in-person meeting is set for 10 a.m. on Friday at the North Inland Live Well Center, 649 W. Mission Ave. in Escondido.
Two following meetings will be virtual: July 20, starting at 10 a.m., and July 22, starting at 4:30 p.m.
More information, including the Zoom link and passcode, is at engage.sandiegocounty.gov/san-pasqual-academy?tool=survey_tool&tool_id=join-a-community-meeting#tool_tab.
Located in Escondido, the 238-acre academy is described by county officials as a first-in-the-nation residential educational campus designed specifically for foster youth.
The San Pasqual campus was opened 25 years ago to educate and house foster children ages 12 to 17. The academy also offers placement options for young people through age 19, according to the county.
Four agencies, through a public-private arrangement, operate the academy: county government, Rite of Passage, San Diego County Office of Education, and San Diego Center for Children and Access. The nonprofit Friends of San Pasqual Academy provides additional resources.
It was originally slated to close in October 2021 because of declining enrollment and the loss of funding resulting from changes in state and federal foster care laws.
In December 2021, a San Diego Superior Court judge granted a temporary injunction that allowed the academy to remain open after supporters filed a lawsuit challenging the changes in state law.
In January 2022, the county Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a plan to continue operations at the academy, as a way to transition it into a multipurpose campus for foster youth.
According to a May 20 KPBS report, there were 40 students enrolled at San Pasqual Academy.
"As state and federal child welfare policies have shift toward prevention and family reunification, the county is exploring how the campus can evolve to better support local youth and families today," county officials said recently.
Last November, the county begin discussing the academy's future with foster youth, advocates and other residents.
An update to the Board of Supervisors is set for August, and feature local input "and potential paths forward including the potential for closure, with a full plan presented within 18 months," according to the county.
"Early ideas include expanding youth programs, adding wellness and recreation spaces, enhancing workforce development and creating new housing options for foster youth," officials added.
In May, supervisors decided not to move forward with a proposal to phase out services at the academy.
While that plan would allow for seniors and juniors to graduate, a transition would "be carried out gradually and in a developmentally appropriate way that safeguards both academic continuity and emotional well- being," a board letter stated.
The Rev. Shane Harris, a San Diego civil rights activist and academy graduate, urged the board to slow the process down, KPBS reported in May.
"This is about whether decisions impacting vulnerable young people are made with them, or simply made for them," Harris added.
Supervisor Jim Desmond said a long-term plan was needed before the board made any further decisions, KPBS also reported.
— City News Service
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