In April 2019, the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association (CCSESA) released the final report on recommendations to improve charter school outcomes and accountability, including suggestions for improving authorizer resources and training, the authorization process, fiscal oversight and accountability, academic and compliance oversight, and the appeals process.
Among the 23 recommendations, following are the highlights CCSESA noted in its press release:
- Ensure that authorizers receive adequate training and technical assistance by providing state funding for the Charter Accountability and Resource Support Network (CARSNet).
- Establish a limit on the number of charter schools a district or county office can authorize based on capacity.
- Require charter schools and CMOs to disclose additional financial information to their authorizer, including contracts for the sale and lease of real property.
- Establish intermediate intervention tools that authorizers can use when financial inconsistencies or deficiencies are discovered at a charter school.
- Task a state entity with monitoring and collecting certain data on charter schools which may indicate the presence of civil rights violations.
- Limit the State Board of Education’s role in charter petition appeals.
Numerous charter school-related efforts are currently underway in California. Please stay tuned as developments unfold; we’ll be sure to keep you updated on the latest information. If you have any questions regarding these recommendations, please do not hesitate to contact a DWK attorney in our Charter Schools practice group.
