Amended in Assembly May 4, 2015

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 943


Introduced by Assembly Member Travis Allen

February 26, 2015


An act to amendbegin delete Sectionsend deletebegin insert Sectionend insert 47607.3begin delete and 52074end delete of the Education Code, relating to charter schools.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 943, as amended, Travis Allen. Charter schools: California Collaborative for Educational Excellence.

Existing law establishes the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence to advise and assist school districts, county superintendents of schools, and charter schools in achieving their local control and accountability plan goals, and requires individuals and entities contracted by the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence for those purposes to have expertise, experience, and a record of success in certain areas. Existing law authorizes the Superintendent of Public Instruction to assign the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence to provide advice and assistance to a charter school that, for 3 out of 4 consecutive school years, fails to improve pupil outcomes for one or more priorities identified in the school’s charter, as specified.

This bill would requirebegin delete a contractor assigned byend delete the California Collaborative for Educational Excellencebegin delete pursuant to those provisions to have the experience, expertise, andend deletebegin insert to give priority to a contractor withend insert a record of success in working with charter schools in improving pupilbegin delete outcomes. The bill would also identify working with charter schools in improving pupil outcomes as one of the required areas of experience, expertise, and record of success for individuals and entities contracted by the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence.end deletebegin insert outcomes, provided that the contractor meets specified conditions.end insert

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

P2    1

SECTION 1.  

Section 47607.3 of the Education Code is
2amended to read:

3

47607.3.  

(a) If a charter school fails to improve outcomes for
4three or more pupil subgroups identified pursuant to Section 52052,
5or, if the charter school has less than three pupil subgroups, all of
6the charter school’s pupil subgroups, in regard to one or more state
7or school priorities identified in the charter pursuant to
8subparagraph (A) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (b) of Section
947605 or subparagraph (A) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (b) of
10Section 47605.6, in three out of four consecutive school years, all
11of the following shall apply:

12(1) Using an evaluation rubric adopted by the state board
13pursuant to Section 52064.5, the chartering authority shall provide
14technical assistance to the charter school.

15(2) The Superintendent may assign, at the request of the
16chartering authority and with the approval of the state board, the
17California Collaborative for Educational Excellence to provide
18advice and assistance to the charter school pursuant to Section
1952074.begin delete A contractor assigned by the California Collaborative for
20Educational Excellence pursuant to this section shall have
21expertise, experience, and a record of success in working with
22charter schools in improving pupil outcomes.end delete
begin insert The California
23Collaborative for Educational Excellence shall give priority to a
24contractor with a record of success in working with charter schools
25in improving pupil outcomes, provided that the contractor meets
26all of the conditions in subdivision (e) of Section 52074.end insert

27(b) A chartering authority shall consider for revocation any
28charter school to which the California Collaborative for Educational
29Excellence has provided advice and assistance pursuant to
30subdivision (a) and about which it has made either of the following
31findings, which shall be submitted to the chartering authority:

P3    1(1) That the charter school has failed, or is unable, to implement
2the recommendations of the California Collaborative for
3Educational Excellence.

4(2) That the inadequate performance of the charter school, based
5upon an evaluation rubric adopted pursuant to Section 52064.5, is
6either so persistent or so acute as to require revocation of the
7charter.

8(c) The chartering authority shall consider increases in pupil
9academic achievement for all pupil subgroups served by the charter
10school as the most important factor in determining whether to
11revoke the charter.

12(d) A chartering authority shall comply with the hearing process
13described in subdivision (e) of Section 47607 in revoking a charter.
14A charter school may not appeal a revocation of a charter made
15pursuant to this section.

begin delete
16

SEC. 2.  

Section 52074 of the Education Code is amended to
17read:

18

52074.  

(a) The California Collaborative for Educational
19Excellence is hereby established.

20(b) The purpose of the California Collaborative for Educational
21Excellence is to advise and assist school districts, county
22superintendents of schools, and charter schools in achieving the
23goals set forth in a local control and accountability plan adopted
24pursuant to this article.

25(c) The Superintendent shall, with the approval of the state
26board, contract with a local educational agency, or consortium of
27local educational agencies, to serve as the fiscal agent for the
28California Collaborative for Educational Excellence. The
29Superintendent shall apportion funds appropriated for the California
30Collaborative for Educational Excellence to the fiscal agent.

31(d) The California Collaborative for Educational Excellence
32shall be governed by a board consisting of the following five
33members:

34(1) The Superintendent or his or her designee.

35(2) The president of the state board or his or her designee.

36(3) A county superintendent of schools appointed by the Senate
37Committee on Rules.

38(4) A teacher appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.

39(5) A superintendent of a school district appointed by the
40Governor.

P4    1(e) At the direction of the governing board of the California
2Collaborative for Educational Excellence, the fiscal agent shall
3contract with individuals, local educational agencies, or
4organizations with the expertise, experience, and a record of
5success to carry out the purposes of this article. The areas of
6expertise, experience, and record of success shall include, but are
7not limited to, all of the following:

8(1) State priorities as described in subdivision (d) of Section
952060.

10(2) Improving the quality of teaching.

11(3) Improving the quality of school district and schoolsite
12leadership.

13(4) Successfully addressing the needs of special pupil
14populations, including, but not limited to, English learners, pupils
15eligible to receive a free or reduced-price meal, pupils in foster
16care, and individuals with exceptional needs.

17(5) Working with charter schools in improving pupil outcomes.

18(f) The Superintendent may direct the California Collaborative
19for Educational Excellence to advise and assist a school district,
20county superintendent of schools, or charter school in any of the
21following circumstances:

22(1) If the governing board of a school district, county board of
23education, or governing body of a charter school requests the advice
24and assistance of the California Collaborative for Educational
25 Excellence.

26(2) If the county superintendent of schools of the county in
27which the school district or charter school is located determines,
28following the provision of technical assistance pursuant to Section
2952071 or 47607.3 as applicable, that the advice and assistance of
30the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence is
31necessary to help the school district or charter school accomplish
32the goals described in the local control and accountability plan
33adopted pursuant to this article.

34(3) If the Superintendent determines that the advice and
35assistance of the California Collaborative for Educational
36Excellence is necessary to help the school district, county
37superintendent of schools, or charter school accomplish the goals
P5    1set forth in the local control and accountability plan adopted
2pursuant to this article.

end delete


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