The State Board of Education has warned that California’s charter school renewal law needs clarification after the board struggled to apply the statute in a closely watched school closure case.
AB 1505 was signed into law in 2019 by Gov. Gavin Newsom, but its implementation was delayed by the COVID pandemic. The law overhauled California’s charter school approval and renewal process by giving school districts greater authority over charter schools and establishing new standards for approvals and renewals.
A major test of the law played out this week after the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) voted to deny the renewal of Aspire Golden State College Preparatory Academy’s charter, citing poor academic performance, particularly in math. Aspire appealed the decision to the Alameda County Office of Education, which also upheld the denial. The case was then appealed to the State Board of Education…