Final Meeting Notes for August 14, 2018

Advisory Commission on Charter Schools

An Advisory Body to the State Board of Education

Final Meeting Notes

Tuesday, August 14, 2018
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Suite 1101
Sacramento, CA 95814-5901

Commission Members

• Jared Austin
• Brian Bauer
• Lisa Constancio1
• Ari Engelberg
• Jumoke Hinton Hodge
• Gayle Garbolino-Mojica
• Dr. Mark Ryan
• Dr. Wesley Sever
• Curtis L. Washington

1Represents the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

State Board of Education Liaison Members

• Bruce Holaday
• Trish B. Williams

Principal Staff

• Carolyn Pfister, Education Administrator I, State Board of Education (SBE)
• Carrie Lopes, Education Administrator I, CDE, California Department of Education (CDE)
• Marites Rivera, Education Programs Consultant (EPC), CDE
• Amber Crisp, Associate Governmental Program Analyst, CDE

Agenda

Call to Order

• Chair Bauer called the meeting to order at approximately 9:35 a.m.

Salute to the Flag

Welcome and Introductions

Review and Adoption of Meeting Notes

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Action: Commissioner Ryan moved approval of minutes.

Commissioner Sever seconded the motion.

Yes votes: Commissioners Austin, Bauer, Constancio, Engelberg, Hinton Hodge, Garbolino-Mojica, Ryan, and Sever
No votes: None
Members absent: None
Abstentions: Commissioner Washington

The motion passed by a vote of eight to one.

Agenda Items

Item 01

Subject: Consideration of a Request 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.

CDE Recommendation: The CDE proposes to recommend that the SBE approve the determination of funding at 100 percent for two fiscal years as specified for the Golden Gate Charter School.

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

Commissioner Sever seconded the motion.

Yes votes: Commissioners Austin, Bauer, Constancio, Engelberg, Hinton Hodge, Garbolino-Mojica, Ryan, Sever, and Washington
No votes: None
Members absent: None
Abstentions: None

The motion passed unanimously.

Item 02

Subject: Renewal Petition for the Establishment of a Charter School Under the Oversight of the State Board of Education: Consideration of Imagine School at Imperial Valley, which was denied by the El Centro Elementary School District and the Imperial County Office of Education.

CDE Recommendation: The CDE proposes to recommend that the SBE hold a public hearing to deny the request to renew Imagine School at Imperial Valley (ISIV), a Transitional Kindergarten/Kindergarten (TK/K) through grade eight charter school, under the oversight of the SBE, based on the CDE’s findings pursuant to Education Code (EC) sections 47605(b)(1), 47605(b)(2), and 47605(b)(5), and California Code of Regulations, 5 CCR Section 11967.5.1.

The ISIV does not meet the renewal criteria as they do not perform, overall, at least equal to its comparable district schools where the majority of ISIV pupils would otherwise attend.

Additionally, the ISIV petitioners are demonstrably unlikely to implement the program set forth in the petition due to an unrealistic financial and operational plan for the proposed charter school. The ISIV petition does not provide a reasonably comprehensive description of the educational program, measurable pupil outcomes, governance structure, and suspension and expulsion procedures.

Action: Commissioner Hinton Hodge made a motion for the SBE to approve the petition on appeal.

Commissioner Ryan seconded the motion with the following three conditions:

• The SBE consider conditions which included that the Fiscal Crisis Management and Assistance Team (FCMAT) findings be remedied and fully implemented where findings occur.
• That the local board roles be further clarified and understood by both parties.
• That the local board partnered with the national board be more fleshed out so that the national organization can impact student achievement for all students.

Yes votes: Commissioners Austin, Bauer, Engelberg, Hinton Hodge, and Ryan
No votes: Commissioners Constancio, Garbolino-Mojica, Sever, and Washington
Members absent: None
Abstentions: None

The motion passed by a vote of five to four.

Item 03

Subject: Perseverance Preparatory School: Consider a Material Revision of the Charter to Change from Opening 2018–19 to 2019–2020.

CDE Recommendation: The CDE proposes to recommend that the SBE hold a public hearing to approve the request for the material revision of the Perseverance Preparatory School (PPS) petition to change from opening 2018–19 to 2019–2020, for a five-year term, of July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2023, under the oversight of the SBE, based on the CDE’s findings pursuant to EC sections 47605(b)(1), 47605(b)(2), 47605(b)(3), 47605(b)(4) 47605(b)(5), 47605(b)(6) and 5 CCR Section 11967.5.1.

The CDE finds that the PPS petition is consistent with sound educational practice and the petitioners are demonstrably likely to successfully implement the intended program.

The CDE finds that the PPS petition does provide a reasonably comprehensive description of most of the required elements. If approved by the SBE, as a condition for approval, the PPS petitioner will be required to revise the petition and include the necessary language for the following required charter elements: measurable pupil outcomes (MPOs) and suspension and expulsion procedures.

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

Commissioner Garbolino-Mojica seconded the motion.

Yes votes: Commissioners Austin, Bauer, Constancio, Engelberg, Hinton Hodge, Garbolino-Mojica, Ryan, Sever, and Washington
No votes: None
Members absent: None
Abstentions: None

The motion passed unanimously.

Item 04

Subject: Promise Academy: Consider a Material Revision of the Charter to Change from Opening 2018–19 to 2019–2020.

CDE Recommendation: The CDE proposes to recommend that the SBE hold a public hearing to approve the request for a material revision of the Promise Academy (PA) charter petition to change from opening 2018–19 to 2019–2020, under the oversight of the SBE, based on the CDE’s findings pursuant to EC sections 47605(b)(5), and 5 CCR Section 11967.5.1.

The CDE finds that the PA petition is consistent with sound educational practice and the petitioners are demonstrably likely to successfully implement the intended program set forth in the petition provided they secure funding as stated in the petition.

The CDE finds that the PA petition does provide a reasonably comprehensive description of most of the required elements. If approved by the SBE, as a condition for approval, the PA petitioner will be required to revise the petition and include the necessary language for the following required charter elements: description of educational program, MPOs, governance structure, and suspension and expulsion procedures.

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

Commissioner Garbolino-Mojica seconded the motion.

Yes votes: Commissioners Austin, Bauer, Constancio, Engelberg, Hinton Hodge, Garbolino-Mojica, Ryan, Sever, and Washington
No votes: None
Members absent: None
Abstentions: None

The motion passed unanimously.

Item 05

Subject: Petition for the Establishment of a Charter School Under the Oversight of the State Board of Education: Consideration of Rocketship San Pablo Elementary, which was denied by the West Contra Costa Unified School District and the Contra Costa County Board of Education.

CDE Recommendation: The CDE proposes to recommend that the SBE hold a public hearing to deny the request to establish Rocketship San Pablo Elementary (RSPE), a TK/K through grade five charter school, under the oversight of the SBE, based on the CDE’s findings pursuant to EC sections 47605(b)(2), and 47605(b)(5) and 5 CCR Section 11967.5.1.

The RSPE petitioners are unable to successfully implement the intended program as the petitioner has presented an unrealistic financial and operational plan for the proposed charter school.

Additionally, the CDE finds that the RSPE petition does not provide a reasonably comprehensive description of the educational program, MPOs, employee qualifications, health and safety procedures, and suspension and expulsion procedures.

If approved by the SBE, as a condition for approval, the RSPE petitioner will be required to revise the petition in order to reflect the SBE as authorizer and include the necessary language for the required charter elements.

Action: Commissioner Hinton Hodge made a motion for the SBE to approve the petition on appeal.

Commissioner Engelberg seconded the motion.

Yes votes: Commissioners Austin, Bauer, Engelberg, Hinton Hodge, Garbolino-Mojica, Ryan, and Sever
No votes: Commissioners Constancio and Washington
Members absent: None
Abstentions: None

The motion passed by a vote of seven to two.

Adjournment of Meeting

Chair Bauer adjourned the meeting at approximately 2:25 p.m.

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