Charter School Numbers

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• Background
• Charter School Number Form and Supporting Documentation
• Submission Deadlines
• Additional Information and Reporting Requirements

Background

California Education Code Section 47602 requires the California State Board of Education (SBE) to assign a charter school number to a charter school that has been approved by a local entity in the chronological order in which it was received. Each number assigned corresponds to a single petition that identifies a charter school that will operate within its geographic and site limitations. This numbering system ensures that the state stays within a statutory cap on the total number of charter schools authorized to operate within California.

Charter School Number Form and Supporting Documentation

To request a charter school number for a newly-approved charter petition, the chartering authority should complete the Charter School Number Form (PDF; Revised 27-Sep-2021). Instructions for completing the form are available at Charter School Number Form Instructions.

In addition, the chartering authority should submit the following supporting documentation:

1. Cover letter signed by the superintendent of the chartering authority that details the action identified under Section 1 of the Charter School Number Form
2. Copy of the chartering authority's adopted board meeting minutes and/or approved board resolution showing approval of the charter school (the term for which the charter school was approved should be included)
3. Copy of the approved charter petition
4. Copy of all charter petition appendices and attachments, including the charter school's financial and operational plan, and meaningfully interested signatures

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Submission Deadlines

The completed and signed Charter School Number Form as well as the aforementioned supporting documentation must be submitted to the Charter Schools Division (CSD) via email at charters@cde.ca.gov. If any of the documents are too large to be submitted via email, contact the CSD and alternate upload arrangements will be made.

The below table lists the deadlines to submit the Charter School Number Form to receive a charter school number from the SBE. All documentation indicated above must be received by the CSD by 4 p.m. on the dates listed under the Deadline to Submit column:

* If the deadline to submit the Charter School Number Form falls on a state-celebrated holiday, the deadline to submit the form will be the next business day.

SBE meeting agendas are available at Current & Past Agendas. Agendas are posted ten (10) days prior to the actual SBE meeting date. A specific agenda item is dedicated to the assignment of charter school numbers and is typically grouped with the consent items.

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Additional Information and Reporting Requirements

County-District-School Code

A charter school number must be assigned by the SBE before a County-District-School (CDS) code can be issued to the charter school. A CDS code may be applied for one month prior to the SBE meeting in which a charter school number will be received. Detailed information as well as the application for a CDS code is located at County-District-School Administration.

Reporting and Funding Deadlines

New charter schools that start instruction by September 30 and that are requesting a charter school number at either the July or September SBE meeting must complete the following steps in order to receive advance funding:

• Obtain a CDS code
• File a Pupil Estimates for New or Significantly Expanding Charters (PENSEC) Report (for approval at the July SBE meeting)
• File a Charter 20-Day Report (for approval at the July or September SBE meeting)

Visit Charter School Funding for information about state general purpose and state and federal categorical funding to charter school authorizers and administrators.

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