October 2023 Quarterly Regional Training Resources

Oversight of Charter School Governance

The October 2023 CASI Quarterly Regional Training addressed oversight practices of charter school boards. Topics discussed included the Brown Act, Political Reform Act, Government Code Section 1090, and board bylaws, policies, and articles of incorporation.

Live Video Recording

CASI Quarterly Regional Training, October 2023 (Video; 1:34:58) (Note: Portions of the video have been edited for length and content.)

Resources

California Education Code and Other Legal Authority

• California Education Code (EC) Section 47604—Operation as a Non-Profit Entity
• EC Section 47604.1—Governance Compliance
• EC Section 47604.32—Oversight Duties of a Chartering Authority
• EC Section 47605(c)(5)(D) —Governance Structure
• EC Section 47610—the “Mega Waiver”
• EC sections 54950–54963—Brown Act
• Government Code Section 1090—Conflict of Interest Code
• AB 2158—Ethics Training
  

Other Featured Resources

• Brown Act Teleconferencing Requirements—California School Boards Association (CSBA) Legal Services
• A Guide to the California Public Records Act—League of California Cities (PDF)
• Political Reform Act of 1974—Fair Political Practices Commission
• Education Code Section 47604.1 FAQs—California Department of Education
• Effective Governance: Roles and Responsibilities—CSBA
• Board Roles and Responsibilities —National Council of Nonprofits
• 12 Responsibilities of Charter School Boards—National Charter Schools Institute (PDF)
• Search Businesses (including nonprofit corporations)—California Secretary of State
  

Case Study: Ezequiel Tafoya Alvarado Academy

• Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) Extraordinary Audit Report: Findings on Governance

Best Practices: Oversight Tools

1. Getting it Right From the Start: The Petition, the Interview, and the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
   • California Charter Authorizing Professionals (CCAP) Initial Charter Petition Toolkit
   • CCAP Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Resource: Samples and Cross Reference
2. CCAP Annual Report Toolkit: Operations and Governance Framework
3. Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) Charter School Resources
   • SCCOE Annual Report School Visitation Matrix 2020(PDF)
   • SCCOE Charter School Board Meeting Checklist
4. Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) Board Audio Review Template 2022–2023
   • LACOE Board Audio Recording MOU Sample Language

Additional Resources

• Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Federal, State, and District Required Language for Charter School Petitions 2020–21 (DOCX)
• California Nonprofit Compliance Checklist
• Example: Annual Charter Oversight & Performance Progress Report 2022–23
• Annual Registration Renewal Fee Report (PDF)
• Charter School Governing Board Composition: A Toolkit for Board Members—National Charter School Resource Center (PDF)
• SCCOE 2023–24_Department_Calendar and Document Requests.pdf (PDF)

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