CASI October 2024 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
6. 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

The legislature recessed for this year. The new two-year legislative session will begin January 1, 2025.

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Program Hot Topics

• Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) Authorizer Posting Requirements
  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 by July 1 of each year to the authorizing district and to the county office of education (COE), or only to the COE if the COE is its authorizer. Pursuant to EC Section 52065(a)(2), the superintendent of a school district shall “prominently post all local control and accountability plans submitted by charter schools that were authorized by the school district, or links to those plans, and any updates, revisions, or addenda, including those to comply with federal law, on the internet website of the school district.” Pursuant to EC Section 52065(b)(2), the county superintendent of schools shall “prominently post all local control and accountability plans submitted by school districts and charter schools, or links to those plans, on the internet website of the county office of education.” For additional guidance related to LCAP preparation and review, please visit the CASI Charter Chat Resource Page – June 2024.
• LCAP Dashboard Posting Requirements
  In October 2023, SB 609 amended EC Section 52065(c)(1) to require that all local educational agencies (LEAs) upload their most recent LCAP to the California School Dashboard (Dashboard), beginning with the 2024 Dashboard. Charter schools, specifically, must upload a PDF of the charter school’s LCAP that was adopted by the governing body of the charter school and submitted to its chartering authority and the COE, or only to the COE if the COE is the chartering authority. The following components of the LCAP for the 2024–25 LCAP year must be compiled as one PDF and assembled in the following order:
  • Local Control Funding Formula (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
  The California Department of Education (CDE) opened the submission window for Dashboard Coordinators to upload a PDF of the LEA 2024–25 LCAP to the myCDEconnect unified system. The LCAP upload submission window was open from October 14 through November 1, 2024. For further information regarding Dashboard Coordinators or the LCAP upload, please contact the Local Agency Systems Support Office by email at LCFF@cde.ca.gov.
  
• Charter School Use of District Facilities (Proposition 39) Process Begins
  EC Section 47614 requires that school districts make available to all charter schools operating in their school district with projections of at least 80 units of average daily attendance facilities that will sufficiently accommodate all of the charter’s in-district students, and that the facilities be “reasonably equivalent” to other classrooms, buildings, or facilities, in the district. By November 1, charter schools must submit their request for facilities to the school district(s) in which they are serving students. The district must provide a final offer and acceptance by May 30.
• Comprehensive School Safety Plans (CSSP)
  EC Section 47605(c)(5)(F) requires each charter school to develop a CSSP, and for that charter school to review and update its plan by March 1 each year. It is considered a best practice for authorizers to require their charter schools to share their CSSP after March 1 of each year and ensure that the CSSP includes all topics. The notice requirements under EC Section 32288 are not extended to charter schools.
  
  AB 1858 has added the process, procedures, and drills in preparation for an active shooter situation to CSSPs. EC Section 47605 was amended to reflect the addition of the new requirement under the CSSPs. EC Section 47605(b)(F)(ii) states: For all schools, the development of a school safety plan, which shall include the safety topics listed in EC Section 32282(a)(2)(A–K). For schools serving pupils in any of grades 7 to 12, inclusive, the development of a school safety plan shall also include the safety topic listed in EC Section 32282(a)(2)(L).
• 2023–24 Assessment Results Release
  On October 10, 2024, the CDE publicly released the results for the 2023–24 administration of the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) and English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC). The news release is posted at CDE News Release - October 10, 2024. The 2023–24 CAASPP summary reports include all results for the following assessments:
  • Smarter Balanced English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics summative assessments
  • California Alternate Assessments for ELA and mathematics
  • California Science Test
  • California Alternative Assessments (CAA) for Science
  • California Spanish Assessment
  Assessment results for the CAASPP and the ELPAC are available to the public on Test Results for California's Assessments . More information can be found on CDE Assessment Results Communications.
• Direct Technical Assistance
  For additional information related to Direct Technical Assistance provided by the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE), please visit CCEE Direct Technical Assistance .

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Fiscal Hot Topics

• California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) Census Day Data
  The official submission window for CALPADS Census Day Data is October 2 through December 13, 2024. As a reminder, Fall 1 attendance data is used to calculate unduplicated counts for the purpose of Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) concentration and supplemental grant funding. Additional information can be found at CDE CALPADS Calendar.
• Charter 20 Day Attendance Report (Charter 20 Day)
  Pursuant to EC Section 47652, charter schools that submitted a 2024–25 Pupil Estimates for New or Significantly Expanding Charters (PENSEC) report must also complete the Charter 20 Day to receive Charter School Special Advance apportionment. The fiscal year (FY) 2024–25 Charter 20 Day and the signed certification are both due to the CDE by October 31, 2024. Additional information can be found at CDE Charter 20 Day Instructions, FY 2024–25.
• Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P) Expenditure Report
  EC Section 46120(d)(6)(B) requires each LEA that received an allocation pursuant to subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of paragraph (1) for the 2021–22 fiscal year or the 2022–23 fiscal year to report final expenditures to the department on or before October 31, 2024, which shall initiate collection of any unexpended funds. A local educational agency that does not submit the final expenditure report shall forfeit all funds allocated for the 2021–22 and 2022–23 fiscal years pursuant to subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (1).
  
  LEA expenditure reports may be submitted on the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P) Expenditure Report website. For further questions or assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to your CDE Regional Support Team or to the Expanded Learning Division at ExpandedLearning@cde.ca.gov.
• First Interim
  Pursuant to EC Section 47604.33(a)(3), the First Interim Report is due to the chartering authority and County Office of Education by no later than December 15 for the reporting period ending October 31.
• Audit report
  Pursuant to EC Section 47605(m), a charter school shall transmit a copy of its annual, independent financial audit report to the CDE, the State Controller’s Office, the local County Superintendent of Schools and, if applicable, the chartering entity, by December 15 of each year. If the audit of the charter school is encompassed in the audit of the chartering authority, EC Section 41020 will apply.
• AB 176 Statutory Changes to Attendance Accounting and Instructional Time
  This is an announcement to inform local educational agencies (LEAs) of recent legislative changes resulting from trailer bill clean-up language enacted pursuant to AB 176 (Chapter 998, Statutes of 2024) .
  
  The School Fiscal Services Division (SFSD) presented a webinar on August 14, 2024, which covered the Instructional Time and Attendance Accounting requirements for LEAs pursuant to changes made in the education omnibus budget trailer bill, SB 153 (Chapter 38, Statutes of 2024) . With the passage of AB 176, previous guidance regarding changes to traditional independent study, Attendance Recovery programs, Instructional Continuity Plans, and the Form J-13A requirements have been amended. Please select the following links to access the updated slides for the Fiscal Year 2024–25 Attendance Accounting and Instruction Presentation (PDF) and the Notice of AB 176 Statutory Changes to Attendance Accounting and Instruction.
  
  

  To claim eligible average daily attendance and avoid findings and associated penalties in the annual audit, LEAs must comply with all conditions of apportionment, including those added and amended by AB 176. LEAs should ensure they comply with fiscal year 2024–25 requirements (e.g., independent study), and begin planning for those requirements (e.g., Instructional Continuity) that impact future years.
  
  Additionally, SFSD has recently updated information on its Instructional Time and Attendance Accounting web page, including FAQs on Dual Enrollment, the Form J-13A process, Independent Study, and Transitional Kindergarten.
  
  If you have any questions, please contact the staff of the Attendance Accounting Office by email at attendanceaccounting@cde.ca.gov or by phone at 916-324-4541.

• Nonclassroom-based Funding Determinations
  The CDE has posted the Nonclassroom-Based Funding Determination Form (Form) for the 2024–25 fiscal year. Please note that the Form is now entirely web-based and that Portable Document Format (PDF) versions of the Form issued in prior years will not be accepted. The Form and an instruction guide are available at Nonclassroom-Based Determination of Funding. Please review an informational letter at Determination of Funding Requests for Fiscal Year 2024–25 for detailed information regarding submission deadlines and potential impacts to funding. Questions regarding this matter should be directed to the Charter Schools Division via email at FundingDeterminations@cde.ca.gov.
  

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California Department of Education and State Board of Education Updates

• The Advisory Commission on Charter Schools (ACCS) meeting for October 8, 2024, was canceled. The next ACCS meeting will be held on December 10, 2024.
• The next State Board of Education (SBE) meeting will be held on November 13–14, 2024.

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Charter Chat Q&A

Previous Charter Chats and CASI Email

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Return to Monthly Charter Chats

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