Jesuit High School in Sacramento is staring down a high-dollar showdown over its decision to enroll girls, as a group of prominent alumni and parents publicly pressure the board to hit pause on the move. Their message: slow the rollout, study it more, and they will help pay for it. The school’s response so far: thanks, but the plan is still on.
An open letter circulating this week offers $100,000 to temporarily halt the transition to a co‑divisional model and to fund an independent feasibility study. The letter also says the Tsakopoulos family has pledged to match $4.5 million in donations, creating a potential $9 million pot if trustees agree to reconsider the decision, according to The Sacramento Bee. The petition, described in the paper’s reporting as coming from prominent alumni voices, urges the board to delay enrolling girls until an outside review is complete.
School Defends Timeline And Educational Model
School leaders say they are not backing off the timeline the board already approved. Administrators frame the move as a response to shifting enrollment trends and a broader update to Jesuit’s mission, not a sudden break with tradition.
The published admissions calendar opens applications in October 2026, with the first cohort of girls set to arrive in August 2027. President Chris Alling told KCRA that the board voted overwhelmingly in favor of the change and that most core academic classes will stay single‑sex, while electives and advanced courses will be coeducational.
Major Donors And Matching Cash Raise The Stakes
While some alumni are trying to spend money to slow things down, others are writing checks to speed the transition along. The school reports that alumnus Joseph Baratta has pledged $2 million and Billy Downing has committed $1 million, unrestricted gifts that Jesuit says will support facilities and programming tied to the co‑divisional shift. The Baratta gift is detailed on the school’s news pages, and the Downing donation was announced on gojesuit.com.
Backlash, Petitions And A Split Community
Since the co‑divisional plan was unveiled last fall, Jesuit has been navigating a noisy community split. Protests, petitions and tense meetings have followed, with some parents, students and alumni arguing that welcoming girls undercuts the school’s long‑standing identity as a single‑sex institution.
Local news outlets have documented both the pushback and the support for opening Jesuit’s curriculum to girls. Coverage from CBS Sacramento has highlighted on‑campus demonstrations alongside voices who say the move will expand access to the school’s academic and extracurricular offerings.
What Comes Next On Campus
For now, school officials insist the train is still on the tracks. Jesuit’s president and board chair have told reporters that no individual or group has submitted a formal donation proposal tied to changing or pausing the plan. Administrators say they are moving ahead with preparations for the 2027 school year, from building out academic schedules to hiring girls varsity coaches.
The school also plans to launch an enrollment campaign this summer while it finalizes facility upgrades and new programming, according to The Sacramento Bee. Whether the promised millions to reconsider the decision ever make it to the table, Jesuit is acting as if the first class of girls is already on the way.
