An Important Update from Compass High School

No. This is not an announcement of Compass’s immediate closure.

Compass will continue operating throughout the 2026–27 school year, and the Class of 2027 will graduate from Compass in June.

The Board of Trustees has voted to pursue a merger by June 30, 2027, with the goal of identifying a sustainable organizational home for Compass beginning with the 2027–28 school year. The Board has also voted to close admissions while this process is underway.

Several factors have led the Board to this decision, including Compass’s lack of a permanent home and changing enrollment patterns affecting independent schools.

The Board has considered these challenges over time and believes that pursuing a merger now offers the strongest opportunity to carry forward Compass’s mission, educational program, expertise, and approach to serving neurodivergent students within a more sustainable organizational structure.

Compass remains fully focused on providing current students and families with the strongest possible experience this year.

Classes, programs, student support, school activities, and graduation will continue throughout the 2026–27 academic year. The Leadership Team, faculty, staff, and Board remain committed to maintaining the quality of the Compass experience while the merger process moves forward

The Board’s goal is to identify a merger that creates a viable path forward for Compass beginning with the 2027–28 school year.

Because no partner has yet been selected and the outcome of the process cannot be guaranteed, Compass will communicate directly with families as the process develops and provide as much clarity as possible.

If a merger is not completed, or if a future arrangement is not the right fit for an individual student, Compass will work closely with that student and family to support a thoughtful next placement.

Placement support is an important contingency, while the Board’s primary objective remains identifying and completing a merger.

No. No partner has been selected.

The Board is beginning an active process of identifying and evaluating organizations that may be a strong fit for Compass, its students, its community, and its mission.

Compass will also invite mission-aligned organizations to express interest in exploring a potential merger or strategic partnership.

The Board is looking for a mission-aligned organization that shares Compass’s commitment to neurodivergent students and values the qualities that have made Compass distinctive.

Important considerations will include the student experience, mission alignment, organizational sustainability, the expertise and contributions of Compass educators, and the ability to carry forward meaningful elements of Compass’s program, community, curriculum, and approach.

The Board has voted to pursue a merger by June 30, 2027. Because Compass is actively working toward a new organizational home beginning with the 2027–28 school year, the Board believes it is important not to enroll additional students while that process is underway.

Closing admissions also allows Compass to focus its attention and resources on current students and families while pursuing the merger process.

This decision is based on long-term sustainability considerations, not an immediate need for financial rescue.

Compass enters this process with meaningful organizational resources, a strong educational program, experienced educators, an engaged community, and significant expertise in serving neurodivergent students.

At the same time, changing enrollment patterns and the lack of a permanent campus make continuing indefinitely as a very small standalone school increasingly difficult.

The Board believes that pursuing a merger now — while Compass has meaningful strengths, resources, and choices — provides the best opportunity to identify a sustainable organizational home and carry the school’s mission forward thoughtfully.

The Board has set June 30, 2027 as the deadline for pursuing a merger. That date is not, by itself, an announcement that Compass will close.

The Board intends to move with urgency while conducting the process thoughtfully. Current families will receive important updates directly, and this website will be updated as additional information becomes available and can appropriately be shared.

Some merger discussions will necessarily require confidentiality, so Compass may not always be able to identify organizations or share specific details while conversations are underway. We are committed, however, to keeping the community informed about the overall process, key milestones, and meaningful developments as we are able.

Compass welcomes conversations with mission-aligned organizations interested in exploring a potential merger or strategic partnership.

Organizations that see potential alignment with Compass’s mission, program, people, expertise, and community are invited to submit a short expression of interest through the partnership form on this page.

Submitting an expression of interest does not create an obligation for Compass or the responding organization. Organizations where there appears to be potential alignment may be invited into an exploratory conversation and asked to enter into a confidentiality agreement before receiving additional organizational, financial, enrollment, staffing, and operational information.