The Santa Rosa French-American Charter School opened for the 2012-2013 school year, serving Transitional kindergarten through eighth grade as granted in the original charter.  The grade configuration of the charter was for a TK through eighth-grade school through June

30, 2020.  At the time of renewal in 2020, the SRCS attorney advised that because the seventh and eighth grades were not currently active, they had to be removed from the charter.

By 2014-15, demand for enrollment in SRFACS was significant, and the school’s leadership decided to open a fourth kindergarten.  In order to make room for these students as they advanced in grades, the difficult decision was made to remove the seventh and eighth grades to make room for the students in earlier grades.  In the 2015-16 school year, enrollment was 495 with 119 kindergarten students and 94 first graders. It was clear there were not enough classrooms at the 1350 Sonoma Avenue campus.  The school was advised that they could not add classrooms because of the school’s location on an earthquake fault. The school leadership hoped to move the seventh and eighth grades to another SRCS campus, but the district determined there was no facility available at that time.

Ever since the seventh and eighth grades were removed from SRFACS, there has been interest among families to resume the middle school grades as part of the accredited SRCS program, in order to keep a continuum of student education and maintain the school community.  Since the grades were removed from the charter, SRFACS families have increasingly requested a return to the original charter model.  The lack of a French program that could meet SRFACS students’ needs presented an unmet need for SRCS.

In the spring of 2022, the SRCS approved the re-establishment of the SRFACS middle school in a satellite location on the Herbert Slater Middle School Campus, beginning with 7th grade in August 2022. 

The school community once again has the opportunity to choose to continue in the SRFACS program with the long-standing, strong connection to the French National Education system and the established SRFACS community.

After the closure of Slater in August of 2025, the SRFACS Middle School program was moved to the Montgomery High School campus.

Students are concurrently enrolled in SRFACS and Montgomery Junior High. Current SRFACS student enrollment rolls over. Families currently enrolled in SRFACS do not need to do Open Enrollment or go through the Lottery

The SRFACS immersion experience continues for students in middle school with half their classes taught in French. All classes are taught by a credentialed teacher.

The French classes provide a harmonized curriculum, providing the best of both worlds.

Students have the possibility of taking zero-period advanced English which allows them to take an additional elective such as Spanish, Band, or Leadership.

As a benefit of hosting the 7th and 8th grades on the Montgomery Junior High campus, students in the SRFACs program have the opportunity to join Montgomery Junior High sports and clubs. 

In addition, SRFACS 7^th and 8^th-grade students can participate in many of the Enrichment programs provided through PAF at the SRFACS main campus.

SRFACS students will sit for higher level DELF exams to further certify their increasing level of French proficiency. PAF continues to support the DELF expenses and other middle school program needs.

The ultimate vision is to provide a continuum of French immersion education from transitional kindergarten through 12th grade.  Many have expressed interest in an educational pathway that combines the French immersion with the International Baccalaureate program. With Montgomery Junior High as a feeder school to Montgomery High School, a natural progression is presented with SRFACS students attending the SRFACS Satellite at Montgomery and matriculating to the IB program in high school if they choose.  This pathway would be strengthened with higher-level French classes at Montgomery High School.  French high school programs prepare students for the French Baccalaureate exam.

The French BAC diploma enables students to pursue higher education in France, the United States, Canada, and many other countries. A combination of French immersion and the International Baccalaureate program would provide an international, rigorous education that is highly attractive to families and would provide an exceptional preparation for students wishing to pursue an international career.

SRFACs Administration serves as the administrator for the Satellite campus responsible for all programming, curriculum, teacher credentialing, hiring, evaluating, parent communication, parent committees/meetings, work with French Ministry of Education and functions.

Montgomery Administration provides on-site supervision and works collaboratively with SRFACS Administration regarding the scheduling of students into the non-French courses.

Montgomery services, such as counseling, health tech. restorative etc. are available to the SRFACs students.

SRFACs ESOM/Office Tech maintains student records including attendance as students are enrolled in SRFACS despite physically attending on Montgomery campus. 

Mild/Moderate Special Education services are currently provided to the Charter based on an allocation each year. Additional students at the 7th and 8th-grade level will fit in the current allocation requiring the Educational Specialist to split both schools. Any students with greater than Mild/Moderate needs in the 7th and 8th grade can be served at Montgomery Junior High School.