Fairfield continuation school exits CSI status, projecting graduation rate above 90%
Fairfield, CA (March 5, 2026) – Sem Yeto High School (SY), a continuation high school in Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District (FSUSD), has been selected to present at the 2026 “CCEA Plus: Blazing New Trails, Innovation in Alternative Education” Conference in Burbank, California, April 30–May 3, 2026.
Principal John McMorris and the Sem Yeto leadership team will share the school’s remarkable two-year transformation, during which the graduation rate increased from 63% to 82%. As of February 2026, projections indicate the rate will exceed 90% by the end of the current school year. In addition, SY has been removed from Comprehensive School Support and Improvement (CSI) status for the first time in recent memory.
At the conference, Principal McMorris will present on the mindset shifts and systems changes that fueled the school’s success through the implementation of a Personalized Competency-Based Education (PCBE) model in an alternative school setting. The session will explore the steps taken, challenges faced, and lessons learned, positioning alternative education programs as innovative educational environments that can inform districtwide transformation by providing valuable insights as other schools embark on their own journeys toward adopting the PCBE model.
“This work has always been about believing in our students’ potential and redesigning systems to meet them where they are,” said Sem Yeto Principal John McMorris. “By embracing a Personalized Competency-Based Education model, we shifted to student-centered learning pathways. The results speak to what’s possible when we align high expectations with meaningful support.”
FSUSD Superintendent Jennifer Sachs praised the impact of the Sem Yeto leadership team and staff . “Sem Yeto High School’s transformation reflects our district’s commitment to ensuring every student has a pathway to success,” said Superintendent Sachs. “The growth in graduation rates and removal from CSI status are significant accomplishments, but even more important is the culture shift that has taken place.”
Sem Yeto High School is highlighted specifically in goal 6 of FSUSD’s Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP). The goal focuses on furthering student success at Sem Yeto, specifying that they must “implement a system of support that ensures students earn a high school diploma”.
The conference, hosted by the California Continuation Education Association (CCEA), highlights best practices and innovation in alternative education programs statewide.
During a January 2026 accreditation visit by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), the visiting chair noted, “In my 20 years of conducting WASC visits across over 100 schools, I have never witnessed a school achieve such significant progress in improving student learning in just two years.”
The CCEA conference selection affirms Sem Yeto’s role as a leading example of how alternative education programs can drive innovation, improve student outcomes, and help shape the future of personalized learning in public schools.
