Skip to main content
California Department of Education Logo

Preliminary Meeting Notes for April 8, 2025

Advisory Commission on Charter Schools (ACCS) preliminary meeting minutes (notes) for April 8, 2025.

Advisory Commission on Charter Schools
Preliminary Meeting Notes

An Advisory Body to the California State Board of Education

Tuesday, April 8, 2025
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Room 1101
Sacramento, CA 95814

Commissioners

  • Helio Brasil
  • Andrew Crowe
  • Todd Finnell (absent)
  • Erika Jones (participated remotely)
  • Derek King (participated remotely)
  • Susan Park1
  • Matt Taylor
  • Mike Walsh

California State Board of Education Liaisons

  • Cynthia Glover Woods
  • Sharon Olken

Principal Staff

  • Craig Heimbichner, Education Administrator, California Department of Education (CDE)
  • Makenna Huey, Staff Services Manager II, CDE
  • Jonathan Yu, Associate Governmental Program Analyst, CDE

Agenda

Call to Order

Commissioner Walsh called the meeting to order at approximately 10:06 a.m.

Salute to Flag

Welcome and Introductions

Review and Adoption of Previous Meeting Notes/Minutes (Action)

Meeting Notes for February 4, 2025

Action: Commissioner Brasil moved approval of minutes.

Commissioner Taylor seconded the motion.

Yes votes: Commissioners Brasil, Crowe, Jones, King, Park, Taylor, and Walsh
No votes: None
Absences: Commissioner Finnell
Abstentions: None
Recusals: None

The motion passed unanimously.

Public Comment


Agenda Items

Item 01

Subject: Consideration of Requests for Determination of Funding as Required for Nonclassroom-Based Charter Schools Pursuant to California Education Code Sections 47612.5 and 47634.2, and Associated California Code of Regulations, Title 5.

Recommendation: The CDE proposes to recommend that the California State Board of Education (SBE) approve the determination of funding requests from 27 charter schools at their requested levels of funding and for the time periods provided in Item 01 Attachment 1: Proposed Recommendations for Nonclassroom-Based Determination of Funding Requests (XLSX).

Action: Commissioner Brasil moved for recommendation to the SBE of the CDE staff recommendation.

Commissioner Crowe seconded the motion.

Yes votes: Commissioners Brasil, Crowe, King, Park, Taylor, and Walsh
No votes: Commissioner Jones
Absences: Commissioner Finnell
Abstentions: None
Recusals: None

The motion passed by a vote of six to one.

Return to Top


Item 02

Subject: Consideration of Requests for Determination of Funding with “Reasonable Basis”/Mitigating Circumstances as Required for Nonclassroom-Based Charter Schools Pursuant to California Education Code Sections 47612.5 and 47634.2, and Associated California Code of Regulations, Title 5.

Recommendation: The CDE proposes to recommend that the SBE take the following actions, which are further detailed in Item 02 Attachment 1: Proposed Recommendations for Nonclassroom-Based Determination of Funding Requests with Mitigating Circumstances (XLSX):

  1. Approve the determination of funding requests for five charter schools at a funding level higher than what they qualify to receive pursuant to regulatory criteria, for two years
  2. Approve the determination of funding request for one charter school at the funding level for which it qualifies to receive pursuant to regulatory criteria, for two years.

Action: Commissioner Taylor moved for recommendation to the SBE of the CDE staff recommendation.

Commissioner Brasil seconded the motion.

Yes votes: Commissioners Brasil, Crowe, King, Park, Taylor, and Walsh
No votes: Commissioner Jones
Absences: Commissioner Finnell
Abstentions: None
Recusals: None

The motion passed by a vote of six to one.

Return to Top


Item 03

Subject: Academia Avance Charter: Consider Evidence Regarding a Notice of Violation Issued by the California State Board of Education, pursuant to California Education Code Section 47607(g), and Propose that the California State Board of Education Issue a Notice of Intent to Revoke with Notice of Facts, pursuant to California Education Code Section 47607(h).

Recommendation: As Academia Avance Charter (Academia Avance) has failed to adequately refute, remedy, or propose to remedy the violations described in the Notice of Violation issued by the SBE on March 5, 2025, the CDE proposes to recommend the SBE issue a Notice of Intent to Revoke with Notice of Facts to Academia Avance, pursuant to California Education Code (EC) Section 47607(h), at its May 2025, meeting. The CDE provides substantial evidence that Academia Avance has committed fiscal mismanagement pursuant to EC Section 47607(f)(3).

Action: Commissioner Brasil moved for recommendation to the SBE of the CDE staff recommendation.

Commissioner Jones seconded the motion.

Yes votes: Commissioners Brasil, Crowe, Jones, King, Park, Taylor, and Walsh
No votes: None
Absences: Commissioner Finnell
Abstentions: None
Recusals: None

The motion passed unanimously.

Return to Top


Adjournment of Meeting

Commissioner Walsh adjourned the meeting at approximately 12:14 p.m.


1Represents the State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Return to Top

Return to ACCS Meeting Notices, Agendas, and Minutes

Questions:   Charter Schools Division | charters@cde.ca.gov | 916-322-6029
Last Reviewed: Thursday, May 15, 2025
Recently Posted in Advisory Bodies, Commissions, Committees & Panels