Resources

Overview: School Planning and Startup
Category: School Planning and Startup

The U.S. has witnessed tremendous growth in charter schools, with over a million students being served in over 4,600 charter schools across the country. Charter schools serve a diverse array of students with education programs that highly vary in focus, delivery, and design. Yet despite the growth of charter schools, planning, opening, and operating a charter school remains a tremendous challenge. Successful charter school developers...
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PCSGP Dissemination Sub-Grant Webinar
Category: School Planning and Startup

by Susanne Coie, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 01/29/2013 SACRAMENTO — The California Department of Education (CDE) announced a webinar to be held Wednesday, January 30 at 2:00PM regarding the Dissemination Sub-Grant Request for Applications (RFA) of the Public Charter Schools Grant Program (PCSGP). Though the CDE received a federal PCSGP grant in 2010, this will be the fi rst year in the 2010-15 grant cycle...
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Urgent PCSGP Update for April 30th Applicants
Category: School Planning and Startup

by Stephanie Schwuchow, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 04/26/2012 Please note that these updates are published and licensed for the exclusive use of active, dues-paying CSDC Members. The information contained in this update may not be copied, reprinted, duplicated, or distributed in any form without the prior, written permission of CSDC. Use by, or on behalf of non-client individuals or organizations is prohibited. Thank you. ©...
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Public Charter Schools Grant Program (PCSGP) Update and Guidance
Category: School Planning and Startup

by Stephanie Schwuchow, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 04/12/2012 To download this Charter Currents update in PDF format, please click here. © 2012 Charter Schools Development Center, all rights reserved. Please note that these updates are published and licensed for the exclusive use of CSDC members. The information contained in this update may not be copied, reprinted, duplicated, or distributed in any form without the prior, written...
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Guidelines for Submitting a Successful PCSGP Application
Category: School Planning and Startup

by Stephanie Schwuchow, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 02/06/2011 The California Department of Education (CDE) is currently accepting Public Charter Schools Grant Program (PCSGP) applications for the January – March 2012 grant cycle. Applications must be submitted by March 31, 2012 in order to be considered for this cycle. The next grant cycle will be open August – October 2012. PCSGP funds are administered by CDE,...
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Meeting Charter Implementation Grant Deadlines And Training Requirements
Category: School Planning and Startup

by Michael Agostini, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 03/18/2011 SACRAMENTO - Schools in the process of completing their Public Charter School Grant Program (PCSGP) applications should submit all application materials to the CDE's Charter Schools Division by Thursday, March 31 if seeking funds before the beginning of the upcoming school year. Because there is a good chance that the state budget will not be passed on...
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Updated Details for PCSGP Webinar
Category: School Planning and Startup

by Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 11/03/2010 SACRAMENTO - The California Department of Education will be holding an optional informational webinar regarding the 2010-2015 Public Charter Schools Grant Program (PCSGP) at 10:00AM on Thursday, November 4, 2010. For more, please view the following links: Webinar login instructions (.pdf) Webinar handouts (.pdf) Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 11/03/2010
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Accountability and Renewal Overview
Category: Accountability and Renewal

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Governor Signs Legislation to Reformulate API, Increase Charter Renewal Thresholds
Category: Accountability and Renewal

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 09/27/2012 SACRAMENTO — Governor Brown announced yesterday that he signed legislation that will allow the State Board of Education to substantially reformulate the state’s Academic Performance Index along with another bill that will raise the API-driven minimum renewal thresholds for charter schools. The Governor also vetoed two anti-charter measures and has yet to act on one remaining hostile...
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Authorizing and Oversight Overview
Category: Authorizing and Oversight

In 1991, Minnesota passed the first law allowing for the creation of charter schools. As of 2011, 40 states and the District of Columbia have laws that allow for the operation of charter schools. Charter laws in the 40 states allow different mixes of agencies to grant charters including local school districts, universities, state boards of education and in some states, specifically designated agencies whose...
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Facilities Overview
Category: Facilities

One of the biggest ongoing obstacles for charter schools is acquiring an affordable facility. While there are a number of programs that can help on this front, charter schools typically need to pursue a variety of facilities strategies over the long-term in order to locate in a building that meets their needs. SB 740 One of the more successful charter school facilities programs was authorized by Senate...
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Thinking of Moving Your School? Don’t Forget the Charter School Limitations on Locating Near an Airport Runway
Category: Facilities

by Jennifer McQuarrie, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 09/19/2012 If a charter school desires to acquire or lease a schoolsite, or add to an existing schoolsite with an acquisition or lease, it needs to follow laws restricting allowable proximity to airport runways—2 nautical miles ... To download this Charter Currents update in PDF format, please click here. Please note that these updates are published and licensed for...
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Appellate Court Spanks Los Altos School District for Shorting Charter School on Prop 39 Facilities Offer
Category: Facilities

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 10/28/2011 A three-judge panel in the Sixth Appellate District unanimously ruled this week that the Los Altos School District short-sheeted Bullis Charter School when the district used deceptive tactics to justify offering a proportionally smaller facility to the charter school. At issue was whether the facilities offered by Los Altos to Bullis Charter School were “reasonably equivalent” to...
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Proposition 39 Facilities Reminder
Category: Facilities

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center. Posted on 02/26/2010 Charter schools that are seeking facilities from school districts through the "Prop 39" facilities process need to respond to school districts' preliminary facilities proposals by March 1st. Background Education Code section 47614 (et. sec.), which was promulgated by Proposition 39 in 2000 ("Prop 39"), generally requires school districts to provide "rent free" facilities to charter schools. Extensive and controversial...
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No, You're Not Done Yet: Proposition 39 Next Steps
Category: Facilities

by Miles Denniston, Charter Schools Development Center. Originally published in the Fall 2008 edition of Charter Currents. Introduction Proposition 39 is a statewide proposition approved by voters in 2000 that generally requires school districts to provide charter schools with facilities. Due to new regulations that are now in effect, the process and timeline for requesting such facilities have substantially changed. For both operating charter schools and for...
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Finance Overview
Category: Finance

California Charter School Finance in a Nutshell California's charter schools are funded much like other non-charter California public schools, but generally at lower rates. They receive funding from a mix of local property taxes, state education aid programs, the California Lottery, federal education aid programs, fundraising, and other sources. Charter schools are prohibited from charging tuition, but may charge fees for certain items to the same...
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Little Money in May Revise Despite $4.5 Billion Increase in State Tax Receipts
Category: Finance

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 05/15/2011 SACRAMENTO — Despite a sharp uptick in state revenues, Governor Brown proposes little new funding for K-12 schools and reaffirmed support for his proposed Local Control Funding Formula in yesterday's May Revise budget proposals. The Governor's revised budget proposals conservatively assumes that recent increases in state cash receipts are a one-time occurrence and that California's economy is...
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Governor's Proposed "Simplification" of K-12 Finance System Clouds 2013-14 Revenue Forecasting
Category: Finance

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 02/19/2013 SACRAMENTO — Governor Brown’s 2013-14 budget package offers a revamped proposal to rewrite California’s K-12 funding system, offers very modest increases in funding, along with several potentially-helpful reforms to support charter schools. The Governor’s staff recently released three draft trailer bills, including 222 pages of minutiae, detailing many of the proposals. This article provides CSDC’s analyses of...
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Governor Continues Push for K-12 Finance Overhaul
Category: Finance

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 01/10/2013 SACRAMENTO — Governor Brown continues to press for transition to a weighted, per-pupil funding system, reductions in deferrals, and additional flexibility for school districts and charter schools in his proposals for the state’s 2012-13 budget. The Governor released a summary of his budget proposals today in Sacramento, with additional details to trickle out over the next several...
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Cash Flow Picture Brightens
Category: Finance

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 12/12/2012 SACRAMENTO — The State Controller, Treasurer and Director of Finance recently reviewed the state’s improving cash flow picture and opted to shorten three current and eliminate one future cash deferral for K-12 schools. CSDC’s corresponding revised estimates appear below and should be used in lieu of our previously-published estimates ... To download this Charter Currents update in PDF...
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Now That Prop 30 Has Passed, Can We Really Count on the Funding-And When?
Category: Finance

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 11/29/2012 SACRAMENTO — With voter approval of Proposition 30, the Governor’s tax initiative, many charter schools are wondering if they can really count on the funding levels promised in the current state budget. There is good reason to be concerned given that the state budget assumes that Proposition 30 will generate billions of dollars in additional revenues from...
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Charter Grant Application Window Opens—Other Application Deadlines Pending
Category: Finance

by Eric Premack and Susanne Coie, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 09/14/2012 SACRAMENTO — The State Board of Education yesterday approved the California Department of Educations’ major revisions to the popular Public Charter Schools Grant Program application process. This article provides a brief overview of most of the key changes along with updates on important deadlines for three other funding programs ... To download this Charter Currents...
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Should Charter Schools Bite Mandate Block Grant Bait?
Category: Finance

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 08/30/2012 SACRAMENTO — The California Department of Education has sent out letter of intent forms to charter schools asking if they intend to participate in the new mandated cost block grant funding system introduced as part of the 2012-13 state budget trailer bill. The form and related communications are a bit confusing and do not make clear what...
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Last-Minute Trailer Bill Amendment Adds Unanticipated Cash Flow Twist
Category: Finance

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 08/01/2012 SACRAMENTO — Budget trailer legislation contains an obscure—but significant— revision to the state’s apportionment process leading to dramatic and unanticipated changes to many charter schools’ cash flow. This article provides an update on how these unanticipated revisions will impact charter schools cash flow, including CSDC’s charter-specific estimates for monthly cash flow for the ... To download this Charter...
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Complex 2012-13 State Budget Package Threatens Trigger Cuts
Category: Finance

by Eric Premack, Charter Schools Development Center Posted on 07/16/2012 SACRAMENTO — The 2012-13 state budget package enacted by the Governor and Legislature is one of the most complex state budget packages in recent history. It attempts to close a large budget gap with billions in cuts, and it bets that voters will approve a ballot measure to increase taxes in this November’s election. ... To download this...
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