Each year, CSDC produces a custom report, the CSDC Renewal Worksheet, to support school planning with an eye to the charter school renewal process. Among other features, the worksheet calculates how a school’s two most recent California School Dashboards counts—separately and in combination—in determining eligibility for streamlined renewal with a five- to seven-year renewal term (“High” category), for presumptive denial with a maximum two-year renewal term (“Low” category), or for neither (defaulting to “Middle” category) as well as the resulting eligibility based on the combined Dashboards, to help schools plan:
- For a charter term ending in 2026, what will be the renewal category before the 2026 Dashboard posts, and what are the possibilities after the 2026 Dashboard posts?
- For a charter term ending in 2027, what are the possibilities before and after the 2027 Dashboard posts?
- For a charter term ending in 2028, what are the possibilities before and after the 2028 Dashboard posts?
The worksheet helps schools identify specific strategic targets to optimize these placements. Dashboard Alternative Status Schools (DASS) have a unique renewal process.
The worksheet shows, at a glance, certain key Dashboard results and historical trends, including 2019 and 2024 California Growth Model data for any schools with results for schools with scores (schools that serve any of grades four through eight, typically). The California Department of Education (CDE) posted Growth Model scores on January 31. To find those scores on the Dashboard, click on the “View More Details” button for any Dashboard indicator and then, from the menu that appears on the left side of the page, under “Informational Purposes,” select “English Language Arts Growth” or “Mathematics Growth.” CSDC is currently updating additional custom analytics related to 2024 Growth Model trends; CSDC members interested in additional analytics beyond the worksheets should contact CSDC to discuss.
At present, it is unclear what role Growth Model data may play in renewal. The State Board of Education plans to determine at its July 2025 meeting if and how the Dashboard may incorporate Growth Model data. Renewal statute does not limit the data that charter schools may present and that authorizers may consider in renewal. In a sound renewal process, authorizer consideration of data will align to the renewal data provisions and consider the best interest of students. For a smoother renewal, CSDC encourages charter schools to reference CSDC’s custom Renewal Worksheets to analyze individual school data and make needed program adjustments years ahead of renewal. Contact CSDC to request a copy.
CSDC encourages member schools facing potentially difficult renewals to reach out early for additional support. CSDC has numerous no-cost resources to support charter renewal, including an in-depth guide to charter renewal data (draft available upon request), previously recorded spring 2024 webinars (foundational- and intermediate-level), and upcoming 2025 Accountability & Renewal Webinar Series that will build on the existing webinars.
