California Department of Education
CDS Administration
Created: January 8, 2007
- Each statewide benefit charter will be given a unique district code that ties back to the organization that developed and will operate the charter (e.g., High Tech High). Each statewide benefit charter will start with two new sites/schools and each new site/school will be given a unique school code, which will then be combined with the organization’s district code. Currently a statewide benefit charter school must commence operations with at least two new* sites/schools (California Code of Regulations [CCR], Title 5, Section 11967.6[a][4]).
- A single county office of education will be designated to receive funding and establish accounts for each statewide benefit charter (CCR, Title 5, Section 11967.8[b]). The county of the designated county office will be indicated in the county part of the CDS code. This county code used in the CDS code only represents the county designated to administer the funding to the statewide benefit charter and does not reflect the physical location(s) of the individual statewide benefit charter sites/schools.
- The CDS database will also carry the county and district code of the county and district where each statewide benefit charter site/school is located. The additional data make it possible to roll-up enrollment (and other information) to the county of physical location if desired.
- It may be possible (in the future) that an existing charter school site will be folded into a statewide benefit charter. In that case, the existing charter school site would keep its school code, would change its district code to that of the statewide benefit charter operating organization, and would either keep or change its county code depending on whether it is located in the designated county for the statewide benefit charter.
- It may be possible (in the future) that an existing traditional public school will wish to convert to a charter school and at the same time join a specific statewide benefit charter. In that case, the conversion school would keep its school code, change its district code to that of the statewide benefit charter operating organization, and either keep or change its county code depending on whether it is located in the designated county for the statewide benefit charter.
- Non-CDS special education consideration. Each statewide benefit charter must participate in a single special education local plan area (SELPA) (CCR, Title 5, Section 11967.6[a][6]). Individual sites/schools within a statewide benefit charter do not participate in different SELPAs. Ideally, the SELPA in which the statewide benefit charter participates would be located in the county of the designated county office of education.
* Not previously approved by a charter authorizer.