0310 BP​ - Charter Schools

Adopted: 6/14/95
Revised: 10/14/20

The County Board of Education (Board) believes that charter schools provide one opportunity to implement school-level reform and to support innovations that improve student learning and enable students to become self-motivated, competent, and lifelong learners. These schools shall operate under the provisions of their charters, specific state and/or federal laws, Title 5, California Code of Regulations adopted by the State Board of Education, and general oversight of the chartering authority.

While maximizing operational flexibility, the charter school petition shall include compliance-based components or other provisions mandated by law. The county superintendent of schools shall maintain an administrative regulation for the process of submission, review, evaluation, and preparation of written findings for a charter petition submitted to the Board prior to Board action. The administrative regulation is designed to:

• Specify details for the authorization of a county charter school, including establishing guidelines to determine whether a charter petition is consistent with the intent of the law and sound educational practice to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Charter School Act.
• Establish guidelines for performing oversight, including, but not limited to, a critical evaluation of the soundness of the proposed educational program, and a process to ensure sound fiscal solvency and procedures.
• Establish guidelines for renewal of county charter schools, including renewal criteria as mandated by law.
• Establish guidelines for revocation of a county charter school.
• Establish guidelines for appeals of school district decisions regarding charter schools, including petitions to establish, non-renewal, and revocation.
• Establish guidelines for special education services within a county charter schools.

Derivation: 
Adopted 6/14/95
Amended 8/13/97, 8/25/99, 10/14/15
Amended 10/14/20

Administrative Regulation: 0310.1, 0310.2, 0310.3, 0310.4, 0310.5, 0310.6

Legal Reference:
Education Code 220, 1042, 1240, 47600 - 47616.7, 52052, 52066 - 52069
Government Code 1090 - 1099, 3540 - 3549.3, 6250 - 6270, 54950 - 54963, 81000 - 91014
California Code of Regulations, Title 5 11960 - 11969.11
Court Decision Ridgecrest Charter School v. Sierra Sands Unified School District, (2005) 130 Cal.App.4th 986
Attorney General Opinions 72 Ops. Cal. Atty. Gen. 25, 26 - 27 (1989)

Management Resources:

Websites:

California Charter Schools Association https://www.calcharters.org
California Department of Education, Charter Schools https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cs
California School Boards Association https://www.csba.org
National Association of Charter School Authorizers https://www.charterauthorizers.org
United States Department of Education https://www.ed.gov