CASI June 2025 Charter Chat Resource Page

Charter Chat Topics

1. Legislative Updates by Santa Clara County Office of Education
2. Program Hot Topics
3. Fiscal Hot Topics
4. California Department of Education and State Board of Education Updates
5. Upcoming Events

Disclaimer

The information contained on this page is provided as a reference only. Charter schools and chartering authorities are encouraged to review the laws and regulations and consult with their own legal counsel regarding the application to their specific situations.

Legislative Updates by Santa Clara County Office of Education

• AB 84 (Muratsuchi) —School accountability: audits: charter schools: data systems
• AB 640 (Muratsuchi) —Local educational agencies: governance training
• AB 1062 (Hoover) —Local control funding formula: concentration grants: charter schools: waiver
• SB 48 (Gonzalez) —Immigration enforcement: school sites: prohibition on access, sharing information, and law enforcement collaboration
• SB 341 (Perez) —Instructions School Gardens Program: reestablishment: Department of Food and Agriculture
• SB 414 (Ashby) —School accountability: school financial and performance audits
• SB 631 (Richardson) —Charter School Revolving Loan Fund
• SB 719 (Cabaldon) —School accountability: school financial and performance audits
• 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.

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Program Hot Topics

• Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) Preparation
  LCAPs are to be updated annually and approved by their board and submitted to their authorizer and to the county office of education by June 30 each year.
• Planning for Next Year
  Charter authorizing staff should prioritize the following tasks in preparation for next year:
  • Prepare the annual document requests: Update your list of documents and your files for the coming year (including fiscal). Create a tickler system for yourself or find a project management software that will manage the document submission process for you (e.g., Epicenter, Canvas, Document Tracking Service [DTS], or Monday.com).
  • Create a calendar of events: Include your annual visit schedule, and consider the process and procedures for conducting site visits for the coming year. A sample calendar can be found on the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) website at 2025–26 SCCOE Charter Schools Department Calendar (PDF).
  • Review your Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): Make sure what was promised was delivered, and see if there is anything that might need to be updated or addressed due to any new laws taking effect on July 1.
• Update Annual Report Template
  It is considered a best practice for authorizers to use an annual report template. If the authorizer uses one, it is recommended to update it to reflect new laws that have come into effect. Additional resources are available in the California Charter Authorizing Professionals (CCAP) Annual Report Toolkit .

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Fiscal Hot Topics

• LCAP Process
  While the LCAP has been known as a program compliance item, it is the document that should be closely connected to the budget. The LCAP goals should drive the budget, not the other way around. Make sure your program and fiscal teams are communicating with each other when they are reviewing both documents. While reviewing, keep in mind that the Budget Overview for Parents (BOP) should match the charter school’s adopted budget, that all components of the LCAP are submitted and posted (this includes the BOP, 2025–26 LCAP Template, Action Tables, and LCAP Instructions), and that all required elements have been addressed, including, if applicable, the 15 percent Concentration Grant Add-on used to increase the number of credentialed and/or classified staff who provide direct services to pupils.
• Annual Budget Process
  Just like districts, charter schools must complete and approve their annual budget. Per California Education Code Section 47604.33 , charter schools are required to submit their board approved annual budget by July 1 of each year.
• Fiscal Planning for Next Year
  Similar to the Program Team, the Fiscal Team is currently preparing for the upcoming year’s fiscal oversight responsibilities. Please refer to the 2025–26 SCCOE Charter Schools Department Calendar (PDF) for a sample of fiscal documents the SCCOE collects as part of our fiscal oversight responsibilities.
  

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California Department of Education and State Board of Education Updates

• The Advisory Commission on Charter Schools (ACCS) meeting meeting was held on June 3, 2025.The agenda included review of nonclassroom-based funding determinations. The next ACCS meeting will be August 12, 2025.
• The State Board of Education meeting will be held on July 9, 2025.

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