Amended in Assembly July 8, 2015

Amended in Senate June 1, 2015

Amended in Senate May 13, 2015

Amended in Senate April 29, 2015

Amended in Senate April 13, 2015

Senate Bill No. 322

Introduced by Senator Leno

February 23, 2015

An act to amend Section 47605 of the Education Code, relating to charter schools.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 322, as amended, Leno. Charter schools: pupils: suspension and expulsion: admissions: departures.

(1) The Charter Schools Act of 1992 (the act) permits teachers and parents to petition the governing board of a school district to approve a charter school to operate independently from the existing school district structure as a method of accomplishing, among other things, improved pupil learning. The act prohibits the governing board of a school district from denying a petition for the establishment of a charter school unless the governing board of the school district finds that the petition does not contain specified information, including, among other information, the procedures by which pupils can be suspended or expelled.

Existing law enumerates the acts for which a pupil may be suspended or expelled from a traditional public school and sets forth procedures a school district is required to follow in suspending or expelling a pupil. Existing law requires the governing board of a school district to refer a pupil who has been expelled from school to a program of study that meets certain conditions, including that the program not be provided at a comprehensive middle, junior, or senior high school, or at any elementary school.

This bill would require the charter school suspension and expulsion procedures described in the charter petition to meet certain minimum requirements, begin delete including end delete begin insert including, among other things, end insert meeting the constitutional due process requirement of providing notice and an opportunity to be begin delete heard. end delete begin insert heard, various procedural requirements, identifying a list of acts for which a pupil enrolled in the charter school may be suspended or expelled, identifying the maximum length of time for which a pupil may be suspended, and, for expulsions, the opportunity to subpoena witnesses, as specified. The bill also would require a charter school to ensure no loss of instructional days for a pupil pending final determination of the expulsion hearing by providing the pupil access to educational programming, and upon a final determination to expel a pupil, to ensure the pupil is provided access to educational programing until the charter school has confirmed the pupil has been provided a suitable educational placement. end insert To the extent this bill would impose additional duties on charter schools, it would constitute a state-mandated local program. The bill also would begin delete specify that a pupil’s departure from a charter school that fails to adopt or follow the required expulsion procedures shall not be considered as an expulsion for purposes of referring the pupil to a program of study. end delete begin insert authorize a pupil to appeal his or expulsion to the applicable county board of education. To the extent this would impose additional duties on county board of education officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. end insert

(2) The act requires, if the number of pupils who wish to attend a charter school exceeds its capacity, preference to be extended to pupils currently attending the charter school and to pupils who reside in the school district, and authorizes other preferences as permitted by the chartering authority on an individual school basis and only if consistent with the law.

This bill would begin delete additionally require preference for siblings of pupils attending the charter school and children of employees at the charter school. The bill would end delete instead authorize other preferences begin insert permitted by the chartering authority end insert on an individual charter school basis only if certain conditions are met, including, among other conditions, that each type of preference is approved by the charter school at a public hearing, and that no preference requires mandatory parental volunteer hours as criterion for admission or continued enrollment. The bill also would authorize a charter school to encourage parental involvement, but would require the charter school to notify the parents and guardians of applicant pupils and currently enrolled pupils that parental involvement is not a requirement for acceptance to, or continued enrollment at, the charter school.

(3) The act requires, if a pupil is expelled or leaves a charter school without graduating or completing the school year, the charter school to notify the superintendent of the school district of the pupil’s last known address within 30 days, and is required to, upon request, provide the school with certain information, including a transcript.

This bill would begin delete require the charter school to provide the reason for the pupil’s departure. By imposing additional duties on charter school officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. end delete begin insert delete those provisions. end insert

(4) This bill would state the intent of the Legislature in enacting its provisions, and would update references and make other nonsubstantive changes.

(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.

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

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

SECTION 1.  

It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this
act to do all of the following:

(a) Ensure equal access to interested pupils at charter schools
and prohibit practices that discourage enrollment or
disproportionately push out segments of already enrolled pupils.

(b) Ensure that charter school discipline policies are fair and
transparent.

(c) Ensure that a pupil’s constitutional right to due process is
protected at charter schools.

(d) Consistent with Section 5 of Article IX of the California
Constitution, ensure that charter schools operate within the system
of common schools by remaining “... free, nonsectarian and open
to all students...,” as stated in Wilson v. State Board of Education
(1999) 75 Cal.App.4th 1125, 1137-38.

(e) Gather data on pupil turnover in the charter school
environment.

SEC. 2.  

Section 47605 of the Education Code is amended to
read:

47605.  

(a) (1) Except as set forth in paragraph (2), a petition
for the establishment of a charter school within a school district
may be circulated by one or more persons seeking to establish the
charter school. A petition for the establishment of a charter school
shall identify a single charter school that will operate within the
geographic boundaries of that school district. A charter school
may propose to operate at multiple sites within the school district,
as long as each location is identified in the charter school petition.
The petition may be submitted to the governing board of the school
district for review after either of the following conditions is met:

(A) The petition is signed by a number of parents or legal
guardians of pupils that is equivalent to at least one-half of the
number of pupils that the charter school estimates will enroll in
the charter school for its first year of operation.

(B) The petition is signed by a number of teachers that is
equivalent to at least one-half of the number of teachers that the
charter school estimates will be employed at the charter school
during its first year of operation.

(2) A petition that proposes to convert an existing public school
to a charter school that would not be eligible for a loan pursuant
to subdivision (c) of Section 41365 may be circulated by one or
more persons seeking to establish the charter school. The petition
may be submitted to the governing board of the school district for
review after the petition is signed by not less than 50 percent of
the permanent status teachers currently employed at the public
school to be converted.

(3) A petition shall include a prominent statement that a
signature on the petition means that the parent or legal guardian
is meaningfully interested in having his or her child or ward attend
the charter school, or in the case of a teacher’s signature, means
that the teacher is meaningfully interested in teaching at the charter
school. The proposed charter shall be attached to the petition.

(4) After receiving approval of its petition, a charter school that
proposes to establish operations at one or more additional sites
shall request a material revision to its charter and shall notify the
authority that granted its charter of those additional locations. The
authority that granted its charter shall consider whether to approve
those additional locations at an open, public meeting. If the
additional locations are approved, there shall be a material revision
to the charter school’s charter.

(5) A charter school that is unable to locate within the
jurisdiction of the chartering school district may establish one site
outside the boundaries of the school district, but within the county
in which that school district is located, if the school district within
the jurisdiction of which the charter school proposes to operate is
notified in advance of the charter petition approval, the county
superintendent of schools and the Superintendent are notified of
the location of the charter school before it commences operations,
and either of the following circumstances exists:

(A) The school has attempted to locate a single site or facility
to house the entire program, but a site or facility is unavailable in
the area in which the school chooses to locate.

(B) The site is needed for temporary use during a construction
or expansion project.

(6) Commencing January 1, 2003, a petition to establish a charter
school shall not be approved to serve pupils in a grade level that
is not served by the school district of the governing board
considering the petition, unless the petition proposes to serve pupils
in all of the grade levels served by that school district.

(b) No later than 30 days after receiving a petition, in accordance
with subdivision (a), the governing board of the school district
shall hold a public hearing on the provisions of the charter, at
which time the governing board of the school district shall consider
the level of support for the petition by teachers employed by the
school district, other employees of the school district, and parents.
Following review of the petition and the public hearing, the
governing board of the school district shall either grant or deny
the charter within 60 days of receipt of the petition, provided,
however, that the date may be extended by an additional 30 days
if both parties agree to the extension. In reviewing petitions for
the establishment of charter schools pursuant to this section, the
chartering authority shall be guided by the intent of the Legislature
that charter schools are and should become an integral part of the
California educational system and that the establishment of charter
schools should be encouraged. The governing board of the school
district shall grant a charter for the operation of a school under this
part if it is satisfied that granting the charter is consistent with
sound educational practice. The governing board of the school
district shall not deny a petition for the establishment of a charter
school unless it makes written factual findings, specific to the
particular petition, setting forth specific facts to support one or
more of the following findings:

(1) The charter school presents an unsound educational program
for the pupils to be enrolled in the charter school.

(2) The petitioners are demonstrably unlikely to successfully
implement the program set forth in the petition.

(3) The petition does not contain the number of signatures
required by subdivision (a).

(4) The petition does not contain an affirmation of each of the
conditions described in subdivision (d).

(5) The petition does not contain reasonably comprehensive
descriptions of all of the following:

(A) (i) A description of the educational program of the charter
school, designed, among other things, to identify those whom the
charter school is attempting to educate, what it means to be an
“educated person” in the 21st century, and how learning best
occurs. The goals identified in that program shall include the
objective of enabling pupils to become self-motivated, competent,
and lifelong learners.

(ii) A description, for the charter school, of annual goals, for
all pupils and for each subgroup of pupils identified pursuant to
Section 52052, to be achieved in the state priorities, as described
in subdivision (d) of Section 52060, that apply for the grade levels
served, or the nature of the program operated, by the charter school,
and specific annual actions to achieve those goals. A charter
petition may identify additional school priorities, the goals for the
school priorities, and the specific annual actions to achieve those
goals.

(iii) If the proposed charter school will serve high school pupils,
a description of the manner in which the charter school will inform
parents about the transferability of courses to other public high
schools and the eligibility of courses to meet college entrance
requirements. Courses offered by the charter school that are
accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
may be considered transferable and courses approved by the
University of California or the California State University as
creditable under the “A” to “G” admissions criteria may be
considered to meet college entrance requirements.

(B) The measurable pupil outcomes identified for use by the
charter school. “Pupil outcomes,” for purposes of this part, means
the extent to which all pupils of the charter school demonstrate
that they have attained the skills, knowledge, and attitudes specified
as goals in the charter school’s educational program. Pupil
outcomes shall include outcomes that address increases in pupil
academic achievement both schoolwide and for all groups of pupils
served by the charter school, as that term is defined in subparagraph
(B) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 47607. The pupil
outcomes shall align with the state priorities, as described in
subdivision (d) of Section 52060, that apply for the grade levels
served, or the nature of the program operated, by the charter school.

(C) The method by which pupil progress in meeting those pupil
outcomes is to be measured. To the extent practicable, the method
for measuring pupil outcomes for state priorities shall be consistent
with the way information is reported on a school accountability
report card.

(D) The governance structure of the charter school, including,
but not limited to, the process to be followed by the charter school
to ensure parental involvement.

(E) The qualifications to be met by individuals to be employed
by the charter school.

(F) The procedures that the charter school will follow to ensure
the health and safety of pupils and staff. These procedures shall
include the requirement that each employee of the charter school
furnish it with a criminal record summary as described in Section
44237.

(G) The means by which the charter school will achieve a racial
and ethnic balance among its pupils that is reflective of the general
population residing within the territorial jurisdiction of the school
district to which the charter petition is submitted.

(H) Admission policies and procedures, consistent with
subdivision (d).

(I) The manner in which annual, independent financial audits
shall be conducted, which shall employ generally accepted
accounting principles, and the manner in which audit exceptions
and deficiencies shall be resolved to the satisfaction of the
chartering authority.

(J) The procedures by which pupils can be suspended or
expelled, consistent with subdivision begin delete (d). end delete begin insert (d), which, at a minimum,
shall also do the following: end insert

begin insert

(i) Identify a list of acts for which a pupil enrolled in the charter
school may be suspended or expelled.

end insert begin insert

(ii) Identify suspension and expulsion procedures, including the
maximum length of time for which a pupil may be suspended. The
procedures shall also accommodate the rights of pupils with
disabilities, consistent with federal law.

end insert

(K) The manner by which staff members of the charter schools
will be covered by the State Teachers’ Retirement System, the
Public Employees’ Retirement System, or federal social security.

(L) The public school attendance alternatives for pupils residing
within the school district who choose not to attend charter schools.

(M) A description of the rights of an employee of the school
district upon leaving the employment of the school district to work
in a charter school, and of any rights of return to the school district
after employment at a charter school.

(N) The procedures to be followed by the charter school and
the entity granting the charter to resolve disputes relating to
provisions of the charter.

(O) A declaration of whether or not the charter school shall be
deemed the exclusive public school employer of the employees of
the charter school for purposes of Chapter 10.7 (commencing with
Section 3540) of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code.

(P) A description of the procedures to be used if the charter
school closes. The procedures shall ensure a final audit of the
charter school to determine the disposition of all assets and
liabilities of the charter school, including plans for disposing of
any net assets and for the maintenance and transfer of pupil records.

(c) (1) Charter schools shall meet all statewide standards and
conduct the pupil assessments required pursuant to Sections 60605
and 60851 and any other statewide standards authorized in statute
or pupil assessments applicable to pupils in noncharter public
schools.

(2) Charter schools shall, on a regular basis, consult with their
parents, legal guardians, and teachers regarding the charter school’s
educational programs.

(d) (1) In addition to any other requirement imposed under this
part, a charter school shall be nonsectarian in its programs,
admission policies, employment practices, and all other operations,
shall not charge tuition, and shall not discriminate against a pupil
on the basis of the characteristics listed in Section 220. Except as
provided in paragraph (2), admission to a charter school shall not
be determined according to the place of residence of the pupil, or
of his or her parent or legal guardian, within this state, except that
an existing public school converting partially or entirely to a charter
school under this part shall adopt and maintain a policy giving
admission preference to pupils who reside within the former
attendance area of that public school.

(2) (A) A charter school shall admit all pupils who wish to
attend the charter school.

(B) If the number of pupils who wish to attend the charter school
exceeds the charter school’s capacity, attendance, except for
existing pupils of the charter school, shall be determined by a
public random drawing. Preference shall be extended to pupils
currently attending the charter begin delete school, siblings of pupils currently
attending the charter school, children of employees at the charter
school, end delete begin insert school end insert and pupils who reside in the school district except
as provided for in Section 47614.5. Additionally, other preferences
may be permitted begin insert by the chartering authority end insert on an individual
charter school basis, in accordance with all of the following:

(i) Each type of preference shall be approved by the charter
school at a public hearing.

(ii) Preferences shall be consistent with federal begin delete law and end delete begin insert law, end insert
the California begin delete Constitution. end delete begin insert Constitution, and Section 200. end insert

(iii) Preferences shall begin delete ensure end delete begin insert not result in limiting enrollment end insert
access for pupils with disabilities, academically low-achieving
pupils, English learners, begin delete and low-income pupils, end delete begin insert neglected or
delinquent pupils, homeless pupils, or pupils who are economically
disadvantaged, end insert as determined by eligibility for any free or
reduced-price meal program.

(iv)  begin delete Preferences end delete begin insert In accordance with Section 49011, preferences end insert
shall not require mandatory parental volunteer hours as a criterion
for admission or continued enrollment.

(C) In the event of a drawing, the chartering authority shall
make reasonable efforts to accommodate the growth of the charter
school and in no event shall take any action to impede the charter
school from expanding enrollment to meet pupil demand.

(3) Charter school suspension and expulsion procedures shall
meet the following minimum requirements:

(A) The procedures shall begin delete meet the end delete begin insert comply with federal and state end insert
constitutional due process begin delete requirement of end delete begin insert requirements, which
include end insert providing notice and an opportunity to be begin delete heard before
restricting a pupil’s legitimate entitlement to public education. end delete
begin insert heard. end insert

(B) For expulsions, the procedures shall ensure all of the
following:

(i) The pupil is entitled to a formal hearing to determine if the
pupil shall be expelled.

begin insert

(ii) At least 10 days before the proposed hearing date, the pupil
shall be provided written notice of the hearing, which, at a
minimum, shall identify the date and place of the hearing, a
statement of the specific facts and charges upon which the proposed
expulsion is based, a copy of the disciplinary rules that relate to
the alleged violation, and notice of the procedures that will govern
the hearing, including those specified in clause (vi).

end insert begin insert

(iii) Before the hearing has commenced, the governing board
of the school district may issue subpoenas at the request of either
the charter school principal or the charter school principal’s
designee or the pupil, for the personal appearance of percipient
witnesses at the hearing. Any objection raised by the charter school
principal or the charter school principal’s designee or the pupil
to the issuance of subpoenas may be considered by the individual,
panel, or board conducting the formal hearing, if so requested by
the pupil before the hearing. Any decision by the individual, panel,
or board conducting the formal hearing in response to an objection
to the issuance of subpoenas shall be final and binding. Service
of process shall be extended to all parts of the state and shall be
served in accordance with Section 1987 of the Code of Civil
Procedure. All witnesses appearing pursuant to a subpoena, other
than the parties or officers or employees of the state or any political
subdivision of the state, shall receive fees, and all witnesses
appearing pursuant to a subpoena, except the parties, shall receive
mileage in the same amount and under the same circumstances as
prescribed for witnesses in civil actions in a superior court. Fees
and mileage shall be paid by the party at whose request the witness
is subpoenaed.

end insert begin insert

(iv) The hearing shall be held in a forum that is closed to the
public, unless the pupil requests in writing at least five days before
the date of the hearing that the hearing be open to the public.

end insert begin insert

(v) The hearing shall be held within 30 schooldays after the
date that the charter school principal determines that the pupil
has committed any of the expellable acts identified in the charter,
as required by subparagraph (J) of paragraph (5) of subdivision
(b), unless the pupil requests in writing that the hearing be
postponed. A pupil shall be entitled to at least one postponement
of an expulsion hearing, for a period of not more than 30 calendar
days. Any additional postponement may be granted at the discretion
of the charter school. If compliance by the charter school with the
time requirement for conducting the expulsion hearing is
impracticable during the school year, the charter school may, for
good cause, extend the time period for the holding of the expulsion
hearing for an additional five schooldays. If compliance with the
time requirement for conducting the expulsion hearing is
impractical due to a recess of more than two weeks, the days during
the recess period shall not be counted as schooldays in meeting
the time requirements, except that the total number of schooldays
not counted toward the time requirements shall not exceed 20
schooldays, and unless the pupil requests in writing that the
expulsion hearing be postponed, the hearing shall be held not later
than 20 calendar days before the first day of school for the school
year.

end insert begin delete

(ii)

end delete

begin insert (vi) end insert  At the hearing, the pupil or the pupil’s parent or begin delete guardian end delete
begin insert guardian, or the pupil’s educational rights holder if the pupil is a
foster child or youth or a homeless child or youth, end insert has a right to
appear in person or to be represented by an attorney licensed to
practice law in California or by a nonattorney adviser, to inspect
and obtain copies of all documents to be used at the hearing, to
confront and question all witnesses who testify at the hearing, to
question all other evidence presented, and to present oral and
documentary evidence on the pupil’s behalf, including through
witnesses. begin insert A record of the hearing shall be made so that a
reasonably accurate and complete written transcription of the
proceedings can be made. end insert

begin delete

(iii) At least 10 days before the proposed hearing date, the pupil
is provided written notice of the hearing, which, at a minimum,
identifies the date and place of the hearing, the specific facts and
charges upon which the proposed expulsion is based, the
disciplinary rules that relate to the alleged violation, and the
procedures that will govern the hearing, including those specified
in clause (ii).

end delete begin insert

(vii) Within 10 schooldays after the conclusion of the formal
hearing, the charter school shall decide whether to expel the pupil,
unless the pupil requests in writing that the decision be postponed.

end insert begin delete

(iv)

end delete

begin insert (viii) end insert  If the individual, panel, or board conducting the formal
hearing determines that the pupil shall be expelled, the individual,
panel, or board shall issue a written decision identifying the basis
for the decision, including all facts in support of the decision,
which shall be begin delete limited only to evidence presented end delete begin insert based upon
substantial evidence relevant to the charges adduced end insert at the formal
hearing and shall not consist solely of hearsay evidence.

begin delete

(v) A record of the hearing is made so that a reasonably accurate
and complete written transcription of the proceedings can be made.

(4) Unless a charter school has adopted procedures for the
expulsion of pupils that are consistent with subparagraph (B) of
paragraph (3) and follows those procedures, a pupil’s departure
from the charter school shall not be considered as an expulsion
pursuant to Section 48915.

(5) If a pupil is expelled or leaves the charter school without
graduating or completing the school year for any reason, the charter
school shall notify the superintendent of the school district of the
pupil’s last known address within 30 days and shall provide that
school district with a copy of the cumulative record of the pupil,
including a transcript of grades or report card, health information,
and the reason for the pupil’s departure. This paragraph applies
only to pupils subject to compulsory full-time education pursuant
to Section 48200.

end delete begin insert

(ix) Written notice of any decision to expel shall be sent by the
charter school to the pupil or the pupil’s parent or guardian, or
the pupil’s educational rights holder if the pupil is a foster child
or youth or a homeless child or youth, and shall include notice of
the right to appeal the expulsion to the county board of education,
as provided for in clause (x), and notice of the educational
placement to be provided to the pupil during the time of expulsion,
as provided for in clause (xii).

end insert begin insert

(x) A pupil may appeal the expulsion to the county board of
education with jurisdiction in the county in which the charter
school is located, and the appeal shall be governed by Section
48919, except that the pupil shall submit a written request for a
copy of the written transcripts and supporting documents related
to the expulsion and expulsion hearing to the charter school and
the charter school shall provide the pupil with the transcripts,
supporting documents, and records within 10 schooldays after the
pupil’s written request.

end insert begin insert

(xi) The charter school shall ensure no loss of instructional days
for the pupil pending final determination of the expulsion, including
an appeal, if one is filed, by providing the pupil access to
educational programming.

end insert begin insert

(xii) Upon final determination to expel a pupil, the charter
school shall ensure the pupil is provided access to educational
programing until the charter school has confirmed the pupil has
been provided a suitable educational placement.

end insert begin insert

(4) A pupil shall not be removed, involuntarily dismissed,
disenrolled, or terminated from a charter school unless the charter
school has complied with all of the procedures specified in
subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3).

end insert begin insert

(5) Nothing in this section is intended to restrict or otherwise
limit the rights available to pupils in charter schools under other
federal and state law. All such protections shall apply with full
force and effect.

end insert

(e) The governing board of a school district shall not require an
employee of the school district to be employed in a charter school.

(f) The governing board of a school district shall not require a
pupil enrolled in the school district to attend a charter school.

(g) The governing board of a school district shall require that
the petitioner or petitioners provide information regarding the
proposed operation and potential effects of the charter school,
including, but not limited to, the facilities to be used by the charter
school, the manner in which administrative services of the charter
school are to be provided, and potential civil liability effects, if
any, upon the charter school and upon the school district. The
description of the facilities to be used by the charter school shall
specify where the charter school intends to locate. The petitioner
or petitioners also shall be required to provide financial statements
that include a proposed first-year operational budget, including
startup costs, and cashflow and financial projections for the first
three years of operation.

(h) In reviewing petitions for the establishment of charter
schools within the school district, the governing board of the school
district shall give preference to petitions that demonstrate the
capability to provide comprehensive learning experiences to pupils
identified by the petitioner or petitioners as academically low
achieving pursuant to the standards established by the department
under Section 54032, as it read before July 19, 2006.

(i) Upon the approval of the petition by the governing board of
the school district, the petitioner or petitioners shall provide written
notice of that approval, including a copy of the petition, to the
applicable county superintendent of schools, the department, and
the state board.

(j) (1) If the governing board of a school district denies a
petition, the petitioner may elect to submit the petition for the
establishment of a charter school to the county board of education.
The county board of education shall review the petition pursuant
to subdivision (b). If the petitioner elects to submit a petition for
establishment of a charter school to the county board of education
and the county board of education denies the petition, the petitioner
may file a petition for establishment of a charter school with the
state board, and the state board may approve the petition, in
accordance with subdivision (b). A charter school that receives
approval of its petition from a county board of education or from
the state board on appeal shall be subject to the same requirements
concerning geographic location to which it would otherwise be
subject if it received approval from the entity to which it originally
submitted its petition. A charter petition that is submitted to either
a county board of education or to the state board shall meet all
otherwise applicable petition requirements, including the
identification of the proposed site or sites where the charter school
will operate.

(2) In assuming its role as a chartering agency, the state board
shall develop criteria to be used for the review and approval of
charter school petitions presented to the state board. The criteria
shall address all elements required for charter approval, as
identified in subdivision (b) and shall define “reasonably
comprehensive,” as used in paragraph (5) of subdivision (b), in a
way that is consistent with the intent of this part. Upon satisfactory
completion of the criteria, the state board shall adopt the criteria
on or before June 30, 2001.

(3) A charter school for which a charter is granted by either the
county board of education or the state board based on an appeal
pursuant to this subdivision shall qualify fully as a charter school
for all funding and other purposes of this part.

(4) If either the county board of education or the state board
fails to act on a petition within 120 days of receipt, the decision
of the governing board of the school district to deny the petition
shall be subject to judicial review.

(5) The state board shall adopt regulations implementing this
subdivision.

(6) Upon the approval of the petition by the county board of
education, the petitioner or petitioners shall provide written notice
of that approval, including a copy of the petition, to the department
and the state board.

(k) (1) The state board may, by mutual agreement, designate
its supervisorial and oversight responsibilities for a charter school
approved by the state board to any local educational agency in the
county in which the charter school is located or to the governing
board of the school district that first denied the petition.

(2) The designated local educational agency shall have all
monitoring and supervising authority of a chartering agency,
including, but not limited to, powers and duties set forth in Section
47607, except the power of revocation, which shall remain with
the state board.

(3) A charter school that is granted its charter through an appeal
to the state board and elects to seek renewal of its charter shall,
before expiration of the charter, submit its petition for renewal to
the governing board of the school district that initially denied the
charter. If the governing board of the school district denies the
charter school’s petition for renewal, the charter school may
petition the state board for renewal of its charter.

(l) Teachers in charter schools shall hold a Commission on
Teacher Credentialing certificate, permit, or other document
equivalent to that which a teacher in other public schools would
be required to hold. These documents shall be maintained on file
at the charter school and are subject to periodic inspection by the
chartering authority. It is the intent of the Legislature that charter
schools be given flexibility with regard to noncore, noncollege
preparatory courses.

(m) A charter school shall transmit a copy of its annual,
independent financial audit report for the preceding fiscal year, as
described in subparagraph (I) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (b),
to its chartering entity, the Controller, the county superintendent
of schools of the county in which the charter school is sited, unless
the county board of education of the county in which the charter
school is sited is the chartering entity, and the department by
December 15 of each year. This subdivision does not apply if the
audit of the charter school is encompassed in the audit of the
chartering entity pursuant to Section 41020.

(n) A charter school may encourage parental involvement, but
shall notify the parents and guardians of applicant pupils and
currently enrolled pupils that parental involvement is not a
requirement for acceptance to, or continued enrollment at, the
charter school.

SEC. 3.  

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that
this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to
local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.