Island High Enrollment Falls to 38, AUSD Reviews Program
AUSD's continuation high school has lost more than a quarter of its students in a year, and the district is looking at schedules, staffing and even sharing its campus.
By The Alameda Pulse
Island High School, Alameda Unified School District's continuation high school, has 38 students this fall, according to the district's official Day 20 headcount, down from 53 students a year ago. Superintendent Pasquale Scuderi told the Alameda Unified School District, known as AUSD, Board of Education this month that the drop is pushing the district to rethink how the small program runs, from its schedule to its staffing.
- Where: Island High School, AUSD's continuation program for students who are behind on credits and working to catch up.
- Enrollment: 38 students as of the district's official Day 20 count this fall, down from 53 the year before, a drop of 15 students.
- Who: Superintendent Pasquale Scuderi presented the strategic planning discussion to the AUSD Board of Education on Sept. 8, 2026.
- Why it matters: Staffing and schedules were built for a bigger student body, and the district says the per-student cost now runs higher than at other AUSD schools.
- What's next: Staff plan to study schedules, staffing and internships, and look at possibly sharing campus space with other district services, before reporting back to the board later this school year.
Why is AUSD reviewing Island High School?
Enrollment has been shrinking while the cost of running the program hasn't. Scuderi told the board the review isn't about blaming Island's current staff or administrators, but about facing facts: the school was staffed and scheduled for a bigger group of students than it has now, and that's expensive to keep up.
How many students does Island High have now?
The district's own Day 20 count, an official enrollment snapshot taken every September, puts this year's total at 38 students, down from 53 last year. During the same board discussion, Scuderi described enrollment as "approximately 45," a rounder estimate he gave before the final count was in. The Pulse is using the district's official Day 20 number because it's the more precise, verified figure.
What changes could Island High see next?
Nothing is decided yet. Staff and board members talked through several ideas, including reworking class schedules and staffing levels, adding more internships and work experience for students, and possibly co-locating some AUSD services on the Island campus. Officials also discussed whether Island could someday share space with a comprehensive high school, though Scuderi said that would need a lot more research first.
What happens next for Island High?
District staff plan to reconnect with Island's own staff and administrators, dig into attendance trends, and draft new schedule and staffing options. Any changes discussed so far would apply to the 2027-28 school year at the earliest, not this one. Staff are set to bring their findings back to the board later in the school year. Read more from the Pulse's education coverage, and see AUSD's Sept. 22 board meeting packet for the full draft minutes.
