CASI February 2023 Charter Chat Resource Page
Information and resources from the February 2023 Charter Chat, presented by the Charter Authorizer Support Initiative (CASI).Charter Chat Topics
- Legislative Updates
- Program Hot Topics
- Fiscal Hot Topics
- State Board of Education Updates
- Upcoming Events
- Q&A from Previous Charter Chats and CASI Email
- Q&A from the February Charter Chat
Legislative Updates (As of February 22, 2023)
- The new Legislative Session has begun. Legislators have until February 2023 to introduce new bills.
- To follow current legislation at the California Legislative Information
website:
- Under "Quick Bill Search," select either "Bill Number" or "Keyword(s)"
- Enter the bill number or keyword, respectively
- Once the desired bill is located, click "Add to My Favorites." This will prompt the user to create a profile and receive email updates on the status of the desired bill.
Bills to Watch
- Assembly Bill (AB) 533 (Fong)
This bill proposes to change California Education Code (EC) Section 47605 to allow charters to appeal directly to county offices within 30 days if the district fails to take action within statutory timelines
Program Hot Topics
- Comprehensive School Safety Plans Per EC Section 47605, Comprehensive School Safety Plans (CSSP) must be updated annually by March 1. Similar to district plans, charter school plans must contain components covered in EC sections 32280–32289.5. One of the challenges with school safety plans is that the charter school will often have all the required pieces, but those pieces will be located in different places or documents. Also, frequently the school will not have the plan reviewed by parents or law enforcement, which is something authorizers should be aware of.
A CSSP must include the following:- Plan reviewed by first responders
- Staff trained annually on components of CSSP
- Elements:
- Child abuse reporting procedures
- Disaster procedures
- Suspension/expulsion procedures
- Notification of dangerous student procedures
- Policies (discrimination, harassment, bullying)
- Dress code
- Safe ingress and egress procedures
- Safe and orderly environment
- Tactical response to criminal incidents
- Mental health guidelines to care for students who have witnessed a violent act
Please see additional information at CDE Safe Schools Planning.
-
Form 700 The Form 700 must be completed annually by April 1. If you have not yet requested this document from your schools, now would be a good time. Additional information is available at the Fair Political Practices Commission
.
Fiscal Hot Topics
- Second Interim According to EC Section 47604.33(a)(4)
, on or before March 15, a second interim financial report, reflecting changes through January 31, is due to the chartering authority and the county office of education (COE), or just the COE if they are the authorizer.
- Standardized Account Code Web-based Structure Financial Reporting System (SACS Web System) In March 2022, the CDE informed education partners of the release of the new SACS Web System. Charter schools are not required to use SACS format or submit financial reports that are not mandated by law. Charter schools that prepare financial reports using the Charter School Alternative Form may continue to do so, but reporting using the Charter School Alternative Form for the 2022–23 unaudited actuals reporting period will be done through the SACS Web System. The Alternative Form will be available in the system when 2022–23 unaudited actuals reporting functionality is released around late June 2023. At this time, it is recommended that authorizers, charter schools, and County Offices of Education (for district-authorized charters) connect to plan and train charter school users to use the system for 2022–23 unaudited actuals reporting.
State Board of Education Updates
- The Advisory Commission on Charter Schools (ACCS) meeting on February 7, 2023 considered requests for nonclassroom-based funding determinations. The video link is available at ACCS Meeting Webcasts.
- The March State Board of Education (SBE) meeting will be held on March 8–9, 2023, and the agenda will include requests for nonclassroom-based funding determinations.
Upcoming Events
| Event Date | Event and Registration Information |
|---|---|
March 29, 2023 |
|
April 6, 2023 |
|
April 14, 2023 |
|
April 2023 (Dates subject to interest) |
|
June 13–16, 2023 |
Charter Chat Q&A
Previous Charter Chats and CASI Email
Is there an extension for the teleconferencing options for board meetings?
There are three options for teleconferencing of board meetings:
- 1. The Brown Act (Government Code sections 54950-54963
) The Board must have a quorum participating from locations within the geographic area of the board, post the teleconference locations of each board member, note each teleconference location, provide public access to those teleconference locations, and conduct roll call votes.
- 2. Assembly Bill (AB) 361
Provides for teleconferencing under state of emergency rules; the general provisions last until January 1, 2024.
- 3. AB 2449
Provides additional
options “for just cause” and “emergency circumstances.” There must be a quorum at the in-person location. Board approval is required prior to or at the beginning of the meeting. This law ends January 1, 2026.
What are the approval criteria for a countywide benefit charter?
California Education Code (EC) Section 47605.6
A county board of education may grant a charter for the operation of a charter school under this part only if it is satisfied that granting the charter is consistent with sound educational practice and that the charter school has reasonable justification for why it could not be established by petition to a school district pursuant to EC Section 47605. The county board of education shall deny a petition for the establishment of a charter school if it finds one or more of the following:
- Unsound educational program
- Demonstrably unlikely to successfully implement the program
- Does not contain the number of signatures (50 percent of teachers or 50 percent of parents of students who will attend during first year)
- Does not contain required affirmations/ assurances
- Does not contain reasonably comprehensive descriptions of all elements
- Does not declare it will be exclusive employer
- Any other basis that the county board of education finds justifies the denial of the petition.
What are the criteria for denial of a new charter petition?
California Education Code Section 47605(c)
states:
The governing board of the school district shall not deny a petition for the establishment of a charter school unless it makes written factual findings:
- Unsound educational program
- Demonstrably unlikely to successfully implement the program
- Does not contain the number of signatures (50 percent of teachers or 50 percent of parents of students who will attend during first year)
- Does not contain required affirmations/assurances
- Does not contain reasonably comprehensive descriptions of all elements
- Does not declare it will be exclusive employer
- Demonstrably unlikely to serve the interests of the entire community
- “Substantially undermine existing services”; OR
- Duplicate programs currently offered with the district
- Qualified or Negative interim certificate (as defined by statute), or is under state receivership
Can a currently existing charter school go to 100 percent nonclassroom-based (NCB) through a material revision?
California Education Code Section 47612.7
prohibits the approval of a petition for the establishment of a new nonclassroom-based charter school. The determination to approve a material revision, including a change in virtual instruction type, is a local decision.
A county office of education (COE) approved a charter school on appeal following a district denial. Can the COE send the charter school to the district to initiate the renewal process?
No. California Education Code sections 47605
and 47607
hold that the chartering authority is the entity that granted the charter. They are the entity which will determine renewal.
Therefore, the COE may not send the charter school back to the district for review of the renewal.
What is the process for renewal for charter schools authorized by the State Board of Education (SBE)?
California Education Code (EC) Section 47605.9(b)
allows a current SBE-authorized charter school to continue operating under the SBE's oversight until the charter is up for renewal, at which point the charter school shall submit the renewal petition to the governing board of the school district within the boundaries of which the charter school is located. If the governing board of the school district denies the renewal petition, the charter school may submit the petition for renewal directly to the SBE, which shall review the petition in accordance with EC Section 47605. If the SBE grants renewal pursuant to EC Section 47605(k)(1)(B), then the SBE must delegate the chartering authority to either the district or county where the charter school is located.
After the chartering authority has been delegated by the SBE, the charter school will need to update its chartering authority under the California School Directory by completing the Change in Authorizing District for a Charter School application, which is available at the California Department of Education Application for a County-District-School (CDS) Code
website.
February Charter Chat
Has the California Department of Education (CDE) updated Enrollment Data Requests under Education Code Section 47607(d)(1)?
Yes. Please see updates on the CDE web page at Legislation Impacting Charters - Enrollment Data.
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