CSDC is reaching out on a matter of utmost urgency that demands your immediate attention.
As you may have heard, the Legislature approved the California State Budget Bill for 2023-2024 on June 15. On Saturday, June 24, the budget trailer bills were released. Trailer bills include policy needed to implement the state budget and come after (i.e. trail) the financials are agreed upon. California's most veteran political columnist recently wrote that trailer bills are "a sneaky way to make a big change in California law."
CSDC found the education finance trailer bills include shocking anti-charter provisions — many appearing with no prior discussion during months of deliberations. The provisions in these bills will have far-reaching consequences for charter schools and the students they serve. Specifically, the budget trailer bills:
- Redefine "abuse of discretion" in charter appeals in favor of school district and county boards, saying that it should be "most deferential" to district and county boards.
- Restrict appeals to the state board, for new and existing charter schools, to instances where BOTH the district and the county board of education abuse their discretion.
- Extends the moratorium on nonclassroom-based charter schools for an additional year to 2026.
- Rushes a study of the funding determination process for nonclassroom-based schools, to be published in March 2024.
The one-year renewal extension is also included in the trailer bills. For more detailed analysis please view our quick analysis of the bills:
CSDC believes that these provisions would be extremely detrimental to the interests of charter schools. In particular, the amendments to the appeal standards could eviscerate the already-compromised appeal process, negatively impacting all charter schools when they undergo renewal or seek to expand to new sites. The amendments could also negatively impact petitions to establish new charter schools.
If you and your schools share our concerns, now is the time to act.
Take Action NOW! Tell the Legislature — No Budget Deal!
- SEND AN EMAIL: Click here to use CSDC’s helpful tool to quickly email your State Senator and Assemblymember.
- TESTIFY VIA PHONE: Call into the committee hearing on Monday, June 25, 2023:
- 11:00AM: Assembly Budget Committee
- 3:00PM: Senate Budget Committee
- Click on the above links for information on how you can phone-in to express your opposition to the anti-charter “surprises.”
We have to act now to protect the rights of charter schools and ensure that students and families have public school options.
CSDC is reviewing the other provisions of the budget package and will provide a comprehensive update after the Legislature and Governor take official action to approve it.
Questions? Contact Eric Premack (epremack@chartercenter.org) or Laura Kerr (lkerr@chartercenter.org)
