School New

January 13, 2026

Extera and Green Dot Strategic Partnership

We are writing to share an important update that will impact our school community. Beginning in August 2026, Extera will join forces with Green Dot Public Schools’ Ánimo Ellen Ochoa Middle School to offer expanded academic opportunities to our middle school students and a long-awaited private facility for our elementary students.

This strategic partnership will ensure a long-term home for Extera families. Extera and Green Dot share a belief that students deserve schools that prepare them not only for college, but for leadership and life, places where belonging is real and potential is nurtured. Following approval from the Los Angeles Unified Board of Education, Green Dot Public Schools will operate Extera Public School 2, serving all current Extera students in grades TK - 5 at a unified school site. All EPS rising 6th, 7th and 8th grade students are invited to enroll at Ánimo Ellen Ochoa Charter Middle School, one of Green Dot Public Schools’ acclaimed middle schools in East Los Angeles, which offers grades 6-8.

As part of this transition, Extera students will finally get a long-term home in a private facility in the 2026-2027 school year. It will move into a renovated wing of Ánimo Ellen Ochoa’s current location, creating a seamless transition for students from elementary to middle school and adding elementary academic and play-based learning space on their campus.

In moments of change, leadership asks us to be both honest and brave. Like many schools across Los Angeles, Extera has been navigating shifting enrollment patterns and the uncertainty of securing a permanent facility for Extera Public School 2. After thoughtful reflection, Extera’s Board made a values-driven decision centered on long-term stability and opportunity: to strategically partner with Green Dot Public Schools because Green Dot is a high-quality charter operator with 25 years of experience throughout the Los Angeles community, including Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles. Both Extera and Green Dot are unified in the mission of preparing all students for college, leadership and life.

It’s important to note that these challenges are not unique to Extera Public Schools. Statewide, California has seen a significant decline in student enrollment. Between the 2004-2005 and 2022-23 school years, California’s TK-12 public schools lost approximately 470,000 students. Projections for the next decade indicate a further loss of 850,000 students by the 2032-33 school year. In the 2025-2026 school year, the student population at our Breed Street site is down to 67 students and at our Eastman site only 107 students are enrolled. These numbers are not only not fiscally stable, but the sites are too small to offer robust programming and intervention pathways for our students. A strategic partnership with Green Dot ensures Extera’s future for many years to come.

In the coming weeks, Extera families will have opportunities to tour the Ánimo Ellen Ochoa (AEO) campus, meet with Green Dot and AEO leaders, and attend information sessions to learn more about the excellent middle school program.

Elementary families can rest assured that Principal Villamar and Extera teachers will continue the strong legacy of excellent academic programming in their new facility at AEO and will have expanded opportunities for enrichment under the leadership of Green Dot.

All parents will also be able to attend follow-up meetings with Extera principals and leaders, complete a survey, and ask any questions about how the transition will work for their child.

“Our top priority remains the same—to ensure that every child with Extera Public Schools feels safe, supported, and connected,” said Executive Director Duquette. “We remain a trusted home for all members of our community by partnering with Green Dot. We are deeply grateful for the trust and partnership of our families, staff, and community,” Duquette added. “While these changes are challenging, they are essential to ensuring the long-term success and stability of Extera Public Schools’ students.”

Parents are invited to attend a Zoom parent meeting today at 6pm via this link. Extera is also hosting in-person parent meetings on January 14th at 9am at our Extera Eastman campus and on January 26th at 9:30am at our Extera Breed campus. Green Dot leadership will also join the January 26th parent meeting to provide an introduction to our parent community and answer questions about Green Dot’s core values and middle school program.

All Extera employees will also have opportunities to meet with Green Dot leadership in the coming weeks to discuss the transition and the benefits and opportunities for employees at Green Dot Public Schools.

We are grateful for your partnership and trust during this exciting transition.