Modesto City Schools has announced a public hearing to gather input on the renewal petitions for two charter schools: Aspire University Charter School and Connecting Waters Charter School, Central Valley. The proposed renewals would be for a five-year term starting July 1, 2026.
The public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. It will take place in the Board of Education boardroom at 425 Locust Street in Modesto. Community members are encouraged to attend and share their views regarding the charter school renewals.
The district stated that its board meetings are live-streamed and recorded for later viewing. Details about accessing the livestream can be found at https://bit.ly/MCS-Board-LiveStream.
There are several ways for the public to provide comments on the renewal petitions. Comments may be made in person during the meeting. The period for public presentations is limited to 30 minutes total, with time divided equally among those who submit request cards. Each speaker may speak for up to three minutes.
Community members can also submit comments by email or voicemail after the meeting agenda is posted and before noon on the day of the meeting. Written comments should be limited to approximately 250 words and sent to publiccomment@mcs4kids.com or left as a voicemail at (209) 574-1525. These comments will not be read aloud but will be transcribed and provided to board members before the meeting; copies will also be available to attendees and included in official records.
Those submitting comments are asked to include their name, affiliation if any, phone number (for clarification if needed), address (optional), and specify which topic or agenda item they wish to address. Public comments received in Spanish will be translated.
For more information about this process or the hearing itself, individuals can contact Steven Hurst, Senior Director of State and Federal Programs, at hurst.st@monet.k12.ca.us or (209) 574-1615.
