Sequoia Pathway’s Parent Company EdKey Shakes Up Workforce with 15% Layoffs

Sequoia Pathway parents received notification on Monday that EdKey, the charter school’s parent company, will lay off 15% of its workforce this Friday. This decision comes as part of an effort to address ongoing financial challenges linked to years of declining student enrollment.

EdKey’s Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Yovhane Metcalfe, emphasized the necessity of these changes. “These changes are essential to securing the future of our schools and continuing to provide the high-quality education your child deserves,” she stated. Metcalfe reassured parents that despite the layoffs, student learning would not be disrupted, noting that class sizes average 24 students.

“Our school leaders have redesigned their staffing plans based on enrollment levels and student needs at each campus,” Metcalfe added. She expressed confidence that the adjustments would maintain educational quality, stating, “This decisive reduction allows us to ‘right size’ our campuses while ensuring that every child enrolled at an EdKey school is known.”

Details about which positions are affected or who will be laid off remain unclear. Requests for comment directed towards Metcalfe were referred to Lorna Romero Ferguson from Elevate Strategies, a public relations firm based in Phoenix. However, neither Ferguson nor Metcalfe provided clarification after the inquiry.

This announcement follows a series of lawsuits and complaints directed to the Arizona attorney general’s office, highlighting ongoing financial difficulties within the charter school system.