Is STCHS a private school?  Do I have to pay tuition to come here?

No, STCHS is a FREE non-profit public charter school.

What does a "hybrid independent study" mean?

STCHS is a unique program. We take the best of a traditional school program (in-class instruction), online school, and independent study and join them together. All our students have Learning Center classes (classes on our campus), independent study classes, and online classes.

Do you offer the ability to choose only independent study or online school?

No, all our students are in Learning Center classes, online, and independent study.  We do not offer 100% online school or independent study school options. 

How large are your class sizes?

It varies from class to class but on average our classes sizes are 25 students. 

How many students are in your school?

Per our charter, STCHS will not have more than 100 students maximum. That's 25 students per grade, 9th-12th. Our average varies but we are currently averaging close to our maximum. 

Can my student still play sports?

Yes, STCHS has a CIF (California Interscholastic Education) agreement with our three local traditional high schools – Madera High School, Madera South High School, and Matilda Torres High School. STCHS students are eligible to play sports at their boundary school. 

How often will my student be on campus?

Though our school is open five days a week, not all students attend school each day, every hour. Our schedules are very individualized and vary from student to student. Some students may have one or two classes on one day then be on campus all day another.  See your student’s schedule for when they have classes on campus.

Does your school have transportation?

Our school does not provide transportation. The Madera Metro bus stop is nearby if needed.

Madera Transit Information

Will my student have access to a highly qualified teacher with a credential?

Yes, all STCHS teachers hold a teaching credential from the Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

Is STCHS accredited and a-g approved?

Sherman Thomas Charter High School is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Accrediting Commission for Schools. We provide a-g courses in all subject areas.

Are credits transferrable?

Yes, credits are transferrable from our high school to any traditional high school and vice versa.

Will my student receive a diploma when they graduate?

Yes, STCHS awards diplomas to all students that have met all graduation requirements.

Is there a student and parent portal?

Yes, our School Pathways Portal can be accessed on, https://sherman.parentstudentportal.com/. Please call our office if you are having any issues accessing your portal. Through the portal you can check assignments and grades, attendance, see the student transcript, and more. 

Do you still have a question that wasn't answered? 

Call our office at 559-675-6626, email at highschool@mystcs.org, or Submit a Question.