BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                            



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                                    THIRD READING


          Bill No:  SB 1263
          Author:   Pavley (D)
          Amended:  5/7/14
          Vote:     21

           
           SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE  :  8-1, 4/30/14
          AYES:  Liu, Wyland, Block, Correa, Galgiani, Hancock, Hueso,  
            Monning
          NOES:  Huff


           SUBJECT  :    Charter school location

           SOURCE  :     Castaic Union School District
                      Newhall School District
                      Saugus Union School District
                      Sulphur Springs School District
                      William S. Hart Union High School District


           DIGEST  :    This bill deletes the authority of a charter school  
          to locate outside the jurisdiction or geographic boundaries of  
          the chartering school district, as specified.  The bill also  
          makes technical and nonsubstantive changes.

           ANALYSIS  :    Existing law authorizes a charter school that is  
          unable to locate within the jurisdiction or geographic  
          boundaries of the chartering school district to 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 where the charter school proposes to operate is  
          notified in advance of the charter petition approval, the county  
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          superintendent of schools is notified of the location of the  
          charter school before it commences operations and either the  
          charter school has attempted to locate a single site or facility  
          to house the entire program, but such a site or facility is  
          unavailable in the area in which the school chooses to locate or  
          the site is needed for temporary use during a construction or  
          expansion project.

          This bill deletes the authority of a charter school to locate  
          outside the jurisdiction or geographic boundaries of the  
          chartering school district, as specified.  The bill also makes  
          technical and nonsubstantive changes.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Appropriation:  No   Fiscal Com.:  No   Local:  
           No

           SUPPORT  :   (Verified  5/9/14)

          Castaic Union School District (co-source) 
          Newhall School District (co-source) 
          Saugus Union School District (co-source) 
          Sulphur Springs School District (co-source) 
          William S. Hart Union High School District (co-source) 
          School Employers Association of California

           OPPOSITION  :    (Verified  5/9/14)

          California Charter Schools Association

           ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT  :    According to the author's office,  
          school districts and county offices of education, and charter  
          schools routinely have conflicting views of the Education Code,  
          particularly as it pertains to the establishment and operation  
          of charter schools.  Specifically, the author's office indicates  
          that current law permits a charter school to locate a classroom  
          based school site outside of the geographic boundaries of the  
          charter's authorizing entity under limited circumstances.  Under  
          these situations, problems can arise for the school district in  
          which the charter school operates and that school district,  
          which is not the authorizing entity, does not have any oversight  
          or monitoring authority.  

           ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION  :    Opponents argue the bill deletes an  
          entire subdivision that has, for years, allowed a charter school  







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          to place one school site outside of its authorizing district  
          under extenuating circumstances.  Eliminating this option for  
          charter schools aggravates the challenges that some charter  
          schools have in finding educationally appropriate school  
          facilities.  Charter schools have 
          limited funding and authority relative to acquiring or building  
          school facilities and are often compelled to be innovative in  
          securing a desirable location for their students. 

          PQ:nl  5/9/14   Senate Floor Analyses 

                           SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE

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