Charter schools.

(1) The Charter Schools Act of 1992 authorizes any one or more persons to submit a petition to the governing board of a school district to establish a charter school that operates independently from the existing school district structure as a method of accomplishing specified goals. The act limits the maximum number of charter schools authorized to operate in the state each year, as specified. This bill would delete that limitation. (2) The Charter Schools Act specifies the procedures for the submission, review, and approval or denial of a petition to establish a standard or countywide charter school. The act authorizes the governing board of a school district or a county board of education to deny a charter petition if the board makes written factual findings that demonstrate that the petition does not contain reasonably comprehensive descriptions of the measurable pupil outcomes identified for use by the charter school. This bill, commencing January 1, 2010, or the effective date of the bill, whichever date is later, would require a standard or countywide charter school petition to contain a comprehensive description of measurable pupil outcomes selected by the applicant school that are consistent with the skills, knowledge, and attitudes identified as goals in the school's educational program and include specified components, and would authorize the denial of a charter petition if the measurable pupil outcomes described in the petition are not in compliance with these requirements. By January 1, 2012, the bill would require all charter schools authorized prior to January 1, 2010, or the effective date of the bill, whichever date is later, to submit to the authorizing school district or agency a comprehensive description of measurable pupil outcomes selected by the school pursuant to these provisions. The bill also would require a charter school that has selected measurable pupil outcomes pursuant to these provisions to use the measurable pupil outcomes for purposes of annual assessment of pupil performance and annually to submit the outcomes to the authorizing school district or agency, the Superintendent, and the State Board of Education. By requiring charter schools to perform additional duties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) The Charter Schools Act limits the duration of charters to a period not to exceed 5 years and authorizes the chartering authority to grant one or more subsequent renewals for an additional period of 5 years. The act specifies the criteria a charter school is required to meet in order to receive a renewal of its charter. This bill, commencing January 1, 2011, or the effective date of the bill, whichever date is later, would require all charter renewals to contain a comprehensive description of measurable pupil outcomes selected by the school that are consistent with the skills, knowledge, and attitudes identified as goals in the school's educational program and include specified components. The bill would require a charter school that receives a renewal of its charter to use the measurable pupil outcomes for purposes of annual assessment of pupil performance and annually to submit the outcomes to the authorizing district or agency and the state board. By requiring charter schools to perform additional duties in order to obtain a charter renewal, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (4) The Charter Schools Act authorizes a chartering authority to revoke a charter if the authority finds, through a showing of substantial evidence, that the charter school commits one of several specified acts or failures to act, including, among others, the failure to meet or pursue any of the pupil outcomes identified in the charter. This bill would clarify that provision to authorize the revocation of a charter if the charter school fails to meet or pursue any of the pupil outcomes identified in the charter pursuant to the provisions of the bill discussed in paragraph (2) above. (5) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.