Resources

Law and Policy Overview
Category: Law and Policy

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Charter Schools Act of 1992
Category: Law and Policy

This annotated compilation of charter school laws is prepared to assist the reader to quickly identify those laws that will constitute California’s Charter Schools Act and several other frequently cited charter laws, as effective June 2011. The Education Code sections included here constitute the core of California’s charter school laws, but exclude many other laws that may also govern charter schools. Though we have made...
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CDE Asserts Narrow Fee Authority for Charter Schools
Category: Law and Policy

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 03/28/2013 The California Department of Education (CDE) last week issued guidance on the department’s interpretation of new laws restricting schools’ authority to levy fees from students. The controversial guidance is especially un-helpful with respect to charter schools, asserting that charter schools authority to levy fees is considerably narrower than ... To download this Charter Currents update in PDF format,...
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Governor Vetoes Charter Meal Mandate, Signs Fee and Immunization Bills
Category: Law and Policy

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 10/01/2012 Governor Brown's office has vetoed AB 1594 (Eng, D—Monterey Park), a bill that would have mandated charter schools to offer free- or reduced-price meals to low-income students. The Governor signed two other measures of strong interest to charter schools, including a measure that will restrict schools’ authority to charge fees and a bill that will make it...
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US Department of Education Halts California Charter Grant Funds
Category: Law and Policy

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 08/28/2012 US Department of Education (USDOE) staff blocked the latest $28 million installment of California’s federal Charter School Grant Program funding, alleging non-compliance with an obscure provision buried in the annual federal appropriation law. In response, California Department of Education officials are pressing the Legislature and Governor to approve controversial legislation to increase charter renewal requirements. CSDC research...
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It's Time to Revise the Employee Handbook
Category: Law and Policy

by Jennifer McQuarrie, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 08/09/2012 Charter schools should review and update their personnel policies, employee handbooks, and employment law posters to conform to recent changes in state and federal employment laws on a broad range of topics. Most charter schools have in place extensive personnel policies, employee handbooks, and mandatory labor law posters that cover a broad range of topics. CSDC recommends...
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CCSA Targets Ten "Underperforming" Charter Schools
Category: Law and Policy

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 12/16/2011 SACRAMENTO - The California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) yesterday called for non-renewal of charters for 10 schools. The recommendations, based on rankings from their Similar Schools Model (SSM) ranking methodology, are the association’s latest in a multi-pronged effort to shutter charter schools that post low standardized testing scores. The Charter Schools Development Center (CSDC) believes that the...
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Legislative Update: One Down, Two to Go
Category: Law and Policy

by Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 08/25/2011 SACRAMENTO - The Assembly Appropriations Committee blocked one of the anti-charter renewal bills in its final “suspense file” hearing today while the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the more offensive of the two charter renewal bills. Both committees held their final “suspense file” hearings for the session today. The suspense file is a holding pen for high-cost legislation. Originally intended as...
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Anti-Charter Legislation Progresses while Budget Stalemate Continues
Category: Law and Policy

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 06/10/2011 SACRAMENTO - CSDC advises charter schools to pick-up the phone and make a few quick phone calls to their legislators to oppose several anti-charter bills that are up for hearing over the next two weeks in the Senate Education Committee. Meanwhile the Legislature deliberated over several budget-related bills this week with little practical progress on key tax...
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Charter Slugfest at State Board and Legislature
Category: Law and Policy

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 05/12/2011 SACRAMENTO - The State Board of Education this week took a chilling turn into deeper scrutiny of nonclassroom-based charter schools, took aggressive action to protect its authority to grant statewide charters, and nearly rejected 29 charter schools’ local education agency plans. Charter matters consumed a huge chunk of the Board’s meeting this week—a proportion that seems likely...
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Key Charter Legislation Update
Category: Law and Policy

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 04/29/2011 SACRAMENTO - Legislative committees will hear two particularly offensive anti-charter bills among several next Wednesday. The first, SB 645, is sponsored by the California Charter Schools Association and would substantially increase the existing minimum charter renewal thresholds that schools must meet prior to renewal. The second bill AB 1172, sponsored by the California Teachers Association, would eviscerate...
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Brown Sweeps State Board
Category: Law and Policy

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 01/07/2011 SACRAMENTO - Governor Jerry Brown wasted little time in reconstituting the State Board of Education, appointing seven new members who will constitute a majority on the 11-member board. The shift drops four of five members who are often regarded as "charter-friendly" and adds several members with broad ranging experience and credentials. The shift came just after Senate...
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Reading the Charter Tea Leaves in Tuesday’s State and National Election Results
Category: Law and Policy

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 11/04/2010 SACRAMENTO - Tuesday’s election results bring mixed and subtly interesting news to the chartered schools sector. Charter schools will likely enjoy even stronger support at the federal level. State and local results are mixed, with many of the key results coming from down-ballot races and other changes that aren’t apparent from the large headlines. Will the Reep Sweep...
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Schwarzenegger Vetoes Two Anti-Charter Bills
Category: Law and Policy

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 09/27/2010 SACRAMENTO - Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed two pieces of anti-charter legislation late last week, penning pointed veto messages on both. The first measure, AB 572 (Brownley, D—Santa Monica) would have imposed on charter schools a laundry list of restrictions that normally govern public and local government agencies, including the Brown Act (open meetings laws), the Public Records Act (laws generally...
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Race to the Top Options Improve but Remain Unclear
Category: Law and Policy

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center. Originally sent to CSDC members on 12/22/09. An amended version of the California Senate's bill (SBX5 4) to improve California's prospects in the federal "Race to the Top" (RTTT) grant competition deleted one major problematic charter element, but problematic and unclear elements remain in both the legislation and the evolving RTTT grant terms. The revised legislation is said to enjoy...
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Race to the Top? Or Grovel for Chump Change?
Category: Law and Policy

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center. Originally sent to CSDC members on 12/08/09. Two proposed bills and a controversial proposed regulation would heap additional regulatory and renewal barriers on charter schools in an effort to strengthen California's application for federal "Race to the Top" (RTTT) grant funds. CSDC analysis indicates all three could have major negative consequences in exchange for very modest levels of one-time...
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Nonclassroom-Based Schools
Category: NonClassroom Based Schools

Some of California’s most innovative and controversial charter schools provide instruction outside of a traditional “brick and mortar” classroom setting. An estimated percent of California’s charter school students participate in “independent study” and/or “nonclassroom-based” instruction and many more spend at least part of their school day or year outside of traditional classroom settings. The wide range of instructional settings is outlined in a bit more...
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SNAFU for "Nonclassroom-Based" Charter Funding Determinations
Category: NonClassroom Based Schools

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 01/28/2013 SACRAMENTO — The California Department of Education (CDE) posted harsh funding recommendations for “nonclassroom-based” charter schools late Friday, including recommendations that would strip from 15 to 100 percent of funding from 16 schools. The CDE will present its recommendations to the State Board of Education’s (SBE) Advisory Commission on Charter Schools (ACCS) on February 6th. All nonclassroom-based...
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State Board Moves Three Sets of Charter Regulations, Calls for Study of Regulation of Nonclassroom-Based Instruction
Category: NonClassroom Based Schools

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 11/11/2010 SACRAMENTO - The State Board of Education this week approved three sets of charter school-related regulations and called for a study of the state’s outdated system for monitoring nonclassroom-based and online instruction. It also surprised charter advocates when it rejected a well-drafted charter petition appeal despite a positive staff recommendation. Board Calls for Nonclassroom-Based Instruction “Uber Study Commission” The...
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Funding Determination Deadline for New Charter Schools
Category: NonClassroom Based Schools

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center. Originally sent to CSDC members on 11/25/09. New charter schools that fall into the definition of “nonclassroom-based” must file a so-called “funding determination” request by December 1 with the California Department of Education. The requirement is part of the extensive regulation regime for nonclassroom-based schools. Failing to file a funding determination could have catastrophic fiscal consequences. CSDC urges all...
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Personnel and Labor Relations Overview
Category: Personnel and Labor

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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Updated I-9 Form for Use No Later than May 8
Category: Personnel and Labor

by Jennifer McQuarrie, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 03/25/2013 The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“U.S.C.I.S.”) have updated the Form I-9, which is used for verifying the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired in the United States. All employers must ensure proper completion of Form I-9 for each individual hired in the country, including citizens and noncitizens. The outdated forms with dates of 02/02/09 and...
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Revisions to FMLA Include Requirements to Hang a New FMLA Poster by March 8, 2013
Category: Personnel and Labor

by Jennifer McQuarrie, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 03/06/2013 The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) allows eligible employees to take unpaid leave with continued group health insurance coverage. It is generally applicable to employers with fifty (50) or more employees within a certain geographic boundary. FMLA is also applicable to employers who have voluntarily agreed to follow it. If you are unsure whether your...
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Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL) Notice
Category: Personnel and Labor

by Jennifer McQuarrie, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 12/18/2012 With the recent adoption of revised regulations, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) has provided new notices required to be provided to employees relating to pregnancy disability leave (PDL). PDL is the four month unpaid leave available to women disabled by their pregnancies, which may include such conditions as ... To download this Charter Currents...
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Pregnant Employees and Leave: Understanding the Interplay Between FMLA, CFRA, and PDL
Category: Personnel and Labor

by Jennifer McQuarrie, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 12/05/2012 Many employers have employees requiring some sort of leave of absence due to pregnancy. While the different leaves required by law apply to different sized employers, this article assumes that the employer is following the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) and California’s Pregnancy Disability Law (PDL). The question that often arises...
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