Cassandra Jennings’ Unexpected Return to Leadership at St. Hope Public Schools Sparks Controversy
Last year, Cassandra Jennings stepped down from the board of St. Hope Public Schools amid a serious audit that flagged multiple violations at the charter school. But now, following the recent death of former superintendent Lisa Ruda, Jennings has quietly returned — not as a board member, but part of a trio running the school’s interim leadership. This move has stirred fresh concerns, especially from Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD), the charter’s authorizing body, which only recently caught wind of Jennings’ renewed involvement.
The Fallout from a Tumultuous Audit
Jennings’ forced resignation came after a third-party audit exposed a series of troubling issues at St. Hope Public Schools. Among the findings were alleged conflicts of interest involving top school officials, questionable use of public funds, lax accounting controls, and a teaching staff that, according to the report, largely lacked proper qualifications.
Jennings was named specifically for a potential conflict of interest because she was wearing two hats — as board chair and as CEO of two nonprofits that provide back-office support for the school: St. Hope Academy and St. Hope Development Company. These nonprofits are separate entities but deeply intertwined with the school’s operations. According to tax filings, Jennings earned $190,840 in 2023 for her CEO role.
Despite these concerns, the school’s leadership defended Jennings, insisting she acted legally and ethically in her dual roles. Still, the mounting pressure led to her resignation from the board on September 30 last year.
In her resignation letter, Jennings expressed frustration at the narrative painted around her involvement, stating, “A misguided narrative about my involvement with the school board is complicating the charter renewal process for PS7 and Sacramento Charter High School and taking the spotlight away from the great work the schools are doing each and every day.” She also mentioned that before taking on the dual role, she sought legal advice to ensure no conflicts existed.
Tragedy and a Leadership Void
Fast forward to May 1 of this year, when Lisa Ruda, the school’s superintendent since 2022, passed away after a battle with cancer. Her sudden death left a critical leadership gap at St. Hope Public Schools. In response, the school’s Executive Committee quickly convened and voted on May 13 to form an interim leadership "triumvirate" to handle operations until a permanent replacement is found.
The three-person interim team includes Jennings, who is tasked with managing administrative functions; Elisha Ferguson Parsons, the current Director of Operations, who is responsible for day-to-day and academic operations; and former Superintendent Jim Scheible, who oversees special projects — primarily agreements between the school and SCUSD.
Sacramento City Unified School District Raises Eyebrows
The troubling part? Sacramento City Unified School District officials say they had no idea Jennings had taken on this interim role. When the superintendent position became vacant, SCUSD reached out to St. Hope for clarification on who would be leading the school temporarily. Board Chair Carolyn Veal-Hunter reportedly named Ferguson Parsons and Scheible as points of contact, mentioning that Jennings would offer some support but did not explicitly say she was part of the leadership team.
It wasn’t until SCUSD officials reviewed St. Hope’s public board meeting minutes that they learned Jennings was indeed one of the three interim leaders. Alexander Goldberg, a spokesperson for SCUSD, expressed clear concerns about this arrangement, saying Jennings’ participation in the leadership team seemed to go against the spirit of a prior district directive aimed at reducing conflicts of interest.
Goldberg noted, “SCUSD does have concerns that Cassandra Jennings participating as part of a leadership triumvirate would not align with the spirit and intent of the District’s notice to cure and St. HOPE’s corresponding written response, aiming to reduce potential conflicts of interest.”
This matter is expected to come up again soon, as SCUSD plans to present a new draft of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to its board, incorporating stricter conditions following past controversies — including an investigation into allegations that a Sacramento High football coach partied with students.
St. Hope’s Defense and Future Plans
Elisha Ferguson Parsons defended the interim leadership plan as a necessary step to maintain stability for students while the board searches for a permanent superintendent. She emphasized that this setup allows time for a thorough leadership search without disrupting school operations.
Parsons also clarified that the contractual relationship between St. Hope Public Schools and the associated nonprofits remains unchanged, underscoring that Jennings does not receive any compensation from the school itself. She stressed that the school board continues to approve all contracts with St. Hope Academy and St. Hope Development Company, and Jennings does not have a role in approving contracts on behalf of the school.
“It has always been the case, and continues to be so, that the St. HOPE Public Schools board approves any contracts with (St. Hope Academy) and (St. Hope Development Company),” Parsons said. “Ms. Jennings has no conflicts of interest and does not approve contracts with (St. Hope Public Schools).”
The Ongoing Debate Over Jennings’ Role
Last year, St. Hope’s main argument in defending Jennings centered on the fact that she recused herself from all board discussions and votes related to contracts between the school and the nonprofits she leads. In an August 24 response to SCUSD’s notice, then-superintendent Ruda wrote that she herself handled those discussions and that Jennings was not involved in setting the scope of work or costs.
Yet now, with Jennings taking on some of Ruda’s responsibilities as part of the interim leadership team, the question of conflict of interest is once again at the forefront. The district and school community are closely watching to see how this situation evolves, particularly as it coincides with ongoing concerns about governance and transparency at St. Hope.
Key Points to Know:
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Audit findings: Serious governance and financial violations forced Jennings to resign from the board in 2023.
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Dual roles questioned: Jennings was both board chair and CEO of nonprofits tied to the school, raising conflict of interest concerns.
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Unexpected comeback: After Superintendent Ruda’s death, Jennings joined the interim leadership team, a move SCUSD wasn’t initially informed about.
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SCUSD’s concerns: The district worries Jennings’ involvement could conflict with earlier agreements meant to prevent conflicts of interest.
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St. Hope’s stance: School officials insist Jennings does not control contracts and has no conflicts in her current role.
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Looking ahead: The district plans to revise agreements with St. Hope and demands more transparency moving forward.
This situation paints a complicated picture of leadership, oversight, and community trust — all crucial factors when it comes to running public charter schools serving vulnerable student populations. The coming weeks and months will be critical as Sacramento City Unified works to ensure St. Hope Public Schools operates with the accountability and integrity that families and taxpayers expect.
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