Page 3 - CharterToolkit

> Petition Renewal Criteria. Charter petition renewals will > Teacher Credentialing. Under prior law, charter school
be considered under a 3-tiered system whereby autho- teachers were only required to hold a state-approved cre-
rizers must consider the academic performance of the dential if teaching a Core course. Under the new law, all
charter school on the state indicators included in the teachers hired after July 1, 2020 must have the appropri-
evaluation rubrics (the “Dashboard”) adopted by the ate credential for their certificated assignment regardless
State Board of Education (“SBE”). Under the tiered sys- of whether they teach a core subject. All teachers em-
tem, a “high performing” charter school may be renewed ployed at a charter school during the 2019-2020 school
for five to seven years, an “middle performing” charter year without a credential will have until July 1, 2025 to
school may be renewed for five years, and a “low per- obtain the appropriate credential for their certificated
forming” charter school, generally, may not be renewed. assignment. By July 1, 2020, all charter school teachers
However, under certain conditions, a “low performing” must also obtain a certificate of clearance and satisfy the
charter school may be renewed for a two year period. Ad- requirements for professional fitness under the Education
ditionally, the requirement to consider increases in pupil Code.
academic achievement as the most important factor in
determining whether to grant or deny a renewal has been AB 1507
eliminated. AB 1507 makes two major changes to the location require-
ments for charters schools, effective January 1, 2020.
> Appeal Process. The new law modifies the appeal
process for denials of a new charter school petition or re- > Charter School Location. Under prior law, a charter school
newal of an existing charter at both the county and state that was unable to locate within the geographic boundaries
level in a variety of ways. For example, a petition sub- of its authorizing district was permitted to establish one
mitted on appeal to a county board of education or the site outside the boundaries of the school district, but within
SBE containing “new or different material terms” will be the county in which that school district is located, if specific
immediately remanded back to be reconsidered by the requirements were satisfied. AB 1507 eliminates this loop-
district within 30 days of remand. Additionally, districts hole and requires all charter schools to locate within the
and county boards of education are required to prepare geographic boundaries of the authorizing district. A charter
and submit an administrative record to the SBE upon school lawfully established outside the boundaries of the
request of the petitioners. The SBE may only reverse authorizing district, but within the county, before January 1,
the denial of a petition or renewal if it finds there was an 2020, may continue to operate at the site until the charter
“abuse of discretion” by the county or district, or both. If school submits a renewal petition. At that time, to contin-
a petition is approved on appeal to the SBE, either the ue operating at the same location, the charter school must
district or county office of education will be designated as either obtain written approval from the district where the
the authorizing authority, effectively eliminating the SBE charter school is operating, or submit a renewal petition to
as a charter school authorizer. the district in which the charter school is located.

> Nonclassroom-Based Charter Schools. The new law > Resource Centers. Under prior law, a nonclassroom-based
creates a 2-year moratorium on the approval of a petition charter school was able to establish a resource center in a
for the establishment of a new charter school offering county adjacent to the county in which the charter school
nonclassroom-based instruction, effective January 1, was authorized, if certain conditions were met. The new
2020 to January 1, 2022. According to the California law eliminates the ability of a nonclassroom-based charter
Charter School Policy Task Force Report, the two year school to establish a resource center in an adjacent coun-
freeze on nonclassroom-based charter school will allow ty. A charter school that was lawfully operating a resource
advocates to spend the time studying issues related center outside the geographic boundaries of the authorizing
to the establishment of nonclassroom-based charter district before January 1, 2020, may continue to operate at
schools, such as their operational practices and perfor- the site until the charter school submits a renewal peti-
mance, and to make further recommendations to ensure tion—at which time the charter school must obtain written
students are receiving appropriate instruction. approval from the district where the resource center is
located to continue operations at the same site.

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