CASI May 2024 Charter Chat Resource Page
Information and resources from the May 2024 Charter Chat, presented by the Charter Authorizer Support Initiative (CASI).Charter Chat Topics
- Legislative Updates by Santa Clara County Office of Education
- Program Hot Topics
- Fiscal Hot Topics
- California Department of Education and State Board of Education Updates
- Upcoming CASI Events
- Q&A from Previous Charter Chats and CASI Email
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 359 (Holden)
Pupil instruction: dual enrollment: College and Career Access Pathways partnerships - AB 1299 (Jackson)
School safety: school resource officers: school safety plans
- AB 1913 (Addis)
Pupil safety: child abuse prevention: training
- AB 1984 (Weber)
Pupil health: extreme heat
- AB 2019 (Fong)
Early and middle college high schools and programs: College and Career Access Pathways partnerships
- AB 2097 (Berman)
Pupil instruction: high schools: computer science education courses: graduation requirements
- AB 2254 (Rubio)
Charter schools: renewal criteria
- AB 2887 (Maienschein)
School safety plans: medical emergency procedures
- SB 997 (Portantino)
Pupil health: naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray and fentanyl test strips
- SB 1080 (Newman)
Pupil nutrition: School lunch
- SB 1129 (Ochoa Bogh)
Local control and accountability plans: workgroup: template alternatives
- SB 1380 (Dodd)
Charter schools: establishment
- SB 1409 (Alvarado-Gil)
Pupil instruction: independent study
- SB 1477 (Ashby)
School accountability: independent study, educational enrichment activities, oversight and audit requirements
- 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.
Program Hot Topics
- Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) Preparation
Pursuant to California Education Code (EC) Section 47604.33, each charter school’s LCAP is to be updated annually, approved by the charter school’s governing board, and submitted to the charter school authorizer and to the county office of education (COE) by July 1 of each year.
The components of the LCAP for the 2024–25 LCAP year must be posted as one document assembled in the following order:- LCFF Budget Overview for Parents
- 2023–24 LCAP Annual Update
- Plan Summary
- Engaging Educational Partners
- Goals and Actions
- Increased or Improved Services for Foster Youth, English Learners, and Low-income students
- Action Tables
- Instructions
- School Closures and Student Records
Pursuant to EC Section 47604.32, a charter school authorizer must provide timely notification to the California Department of Education (CDE) of a school that ceases operations. Please see CDE Charter School Closures for additional information regarding documentation and notifications of closure action, retention and transfer of records, financial close-out, disposition of liabilities and assets, and the responsibilities of a charter authorizer.
CASI participants have asked previously about transfer of student records during a closure. Per the CDE Student Records and Transcripts, the CDE does not have access to student records. For public schools, if a school is closed, they are to contact the local district or the COE. As charter schools are public schools, the question as to how to access student files for closed charter schools is based in the school’s charter petition. Most charters upon closure will send their files to either: (1) the charter management organization (CMO) or sister school in their organization, if applicable, or (2) the school’s authorizer. When files are missing, it becomes necessary to use the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS).
Fiscal Hot Topics
- Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) Process
While the LCAP has been known as a program compliance item, it is the document which 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. When reviewing, please ensure the following:- The Budget Overview for Parents (BOP) matches the charter school’s adopted budget.
- All components of the LCAP have been submitted and posted. This includes the BOP, 2023–24 LCAP Template, Action Tables, and LCAP Instructions.
- 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
Per EC Section 47604.33
, charter schools are required to submit their board approved annual budget by July 1 of each year.
California Department of Education and State Board of Education Updates
- The Advisory Commission on Charter Schools (ACCS) meeting was held on June 4, 2024.
- The California State Board of Education (SBE) meeting was held on May 8, 2024. Nonclassroom-based funding determinations were reviewed. The SBE also approved the state moving forward with applying for the Federal Charter School Grant Program. The next meeting is scheduled for July 10–11, 2024.
Upcoming CASI Events
- Monthly CASI Charter Chat, June 26, 10–11 a.m.
- CASI Quarterly Regional Training on Dashboard Alternative School Status (DASS) Schools.
- Tuesday, July 9, 1–3 p.m.
- Please register in advance at CASI July 2024 Quarterly Regional Training Zoom Registration
.
Charter Chat Q&A
Previous Charter Chats and CASI Email
Is there a template for charter re-authorizations?
Unfortunately, there is not a “template” for re-authorizations. EC sections 47607 and 47607.2 set forth the renewal requirements, and EC section 47605 sets forth the petition review process. Please also see the April Quarterly Regional Training: Road to Renewal presentation on the CASI website for more information.
Los Angeles Unified School District has shared Renewal Samples
.
Is the renewal criteria/process the same for Dashboard Alternative School Status (DASS) schools?
EC section 47607 holds that DASS schools are presumptively renewed for five years and that the Authorizer shall consider:
- Performance on state and local indicators
- Dashboard uses a one-year graduation rate and a different College/Career Indicator
- A charter school’s performance on alternative metrics applicable to the charter school based on the pupil population served
- Shall “mutually agree to discuss” alternative metrics with charter school
- Closure for DASS schools is only if it is in the “best interest of the students”
For more information on DASS schools, please attend the CASI Quarterly Regional training on July 9, 2024, from 1 to 3 p.m.
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Questions: Charter Authorizer Support Initiative | CASI@cde.ca.gov | 916-322-6029
Last Reviewed: Tuesday, June 25, 2024
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