SBE Fails
to Move the Amended Proposition 39 Regulations
The SBE failed to approve
the proposed amendments to the Proposition 39 regulations
due to intense opposition by several education lobbies and
lack of SBE support. Only 6 SBE members were present, with
several key charter school-friend board members missing.
The amended regulations
were presented to the SBE after more than 1 year of extensive
negotiation among all stake holders, including a 45-day
public comment period, with extensive compromise on all
sides. While not perfect, the amended regulations would
provide much needed assistance for charter schools in the
ever-challenging quest to find facilities.
It is expected that
the SBE will revisit the amendments to Proposition 39 at
its May board meeting. The delay may jeopardize the ability
to use the regulations in the upcoming ‘07-08 school
year, prolonging the difficulties another year.
CharterVoice
Sponsored SB 345 Aids Charter School Operations Through
Work Permits, Payday Flexibility and Waivers
SB 345 (Aanastad, R
– Grass Valley) was introduced to add charter schools
to the list of entities eligible to issue work permits for
their students. Currently, only superintendents of school
districts may issue work permits or grant the authority
to someone within the district or presumably to a charter
school. Some charters have found resistance on behalf of
the districts to grant the authority to charter schools.
This bill would remedy the problem.
In addition, the bill
allows charter schools to pay teachers in a manner similar
to a school district – over a 10, 11 or 12 month period
instead of over the 9-month school schedule. Presently,
charter schools that are legally independent from their
districts and act as the employer of their teachers are
governed by the Labor Code, which requires that wages earned
be paid twice per calendar month and paid within a specific
timeframe from the date they are earned. This bill would
grant charters the flexibility that districts have providing
more financial flexibility for charters, in addition to
assisting their employees in budgeting their finances.
Finally, the bill resurrects
the SBE’s authority to grant waivers of the Education
Code for charter schools. This power was originally granted
to the SBE, but the legislation sunset on January 1, 2007.
SB 345 will be heard
by the Senate Education Committee on March 28, 2007.
AB 766
Extends Liability Protections for Charter Schools Conducting
Field Trips and Excursions and Reinstitutes the SBE’s
Waiver Authority
AB 766 (Walters, R
– Laguna Niguel) was introduced to add charters to
the list of entities able to utilize the existing law that
deems individuals making a field trip or excursions to have
waived all claims against the school districts occurring
during or by reason of the field trip. Similar to SB 345,
the bill also reinstates the SBE’s waiver authority
as described above. This bill has not yet been set for hearing.
