An Orange County performing arts school is facing bankruptcy following a financial dispute with the Santa Ana Unified School District. Tracey Leong reports for the NBC4 News at 11 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.
About 50 speakers signed up to make their case to the Santa Ana Unified School District on why it should reconsider potentially bankrupting a performing arts school that's facing a hefty fee to the district.
Students, parents and supporters of the Orange County School of the Arts (OSHA) gathered Tuesday at the district’s board meeting to protest its decision to shut down the school following a financial dispute.
“No student should have to worry about losing access to an education that inspires them,” one student said during public comment.
Frustrated students, parents and teachers spoke out against the district’s financial demands of their Charter school – which has now become a heated legal battle.
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“Even though we had that language in the charter for two charter renewal cycles, they all of a sudden dropped a surprise $20 million invoice in our lap and it wasn't representing what they promised,” alleged Teren Shaffer, OSHA President and CEO.
Ron Hacker, the district’s Chief Business Official, said otherwise and claimed OSHA was well aware of its obligation to pay its fair share for district-wide special education expenses.
“It is our board's fiduciary responsibility to make sure that if equitable contributions are due to us, that we collect them,” he said. “Anything else is a gift of public funds.”
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The school sued the district and has been in a years-long legal battle with it. A judge recently ruled in favor of the district to have OSHA make their equitable contributions – something the school claims would put it out of business.
“I've seen their books and that's just not true,” Hacker said. “They have a healthy fund balance, so this is not hurting them. They're the ones that brought this litigation. They're the ones that can stop it.”
OSHA is now hoping to get back into mediation with the district to settle on an amount it finds reasonable. It’s unclear when that will be.
