Urge Assembly Education Committee Members to Vote “NO” on AB 1505, 1506 & 1507
Sacramento, CA – Today, the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) leadership joined African American Faith Leaders from Sacramento, and charter school families from across the state, to tell Legislators to vote ‘NO’ on a package of extreme bills that scapegoat charter school families in order to obscure the failure of school districts.
Authored by Assemblymembers Patrick O’Donnell (D-Long Beach), Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), Rob Bonta (D-Oakland), Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) and Christy Smith (D-Santa Clarita) – and sponsored by the California Teachers Association (CTA) - AB 1505, 1506 and 1507 threaten the existence of charter schools in California. The extreme and divisive bill package would rip public school options and opportunities away from parents and kids who need them most.
“This package of poisonous bills puts politics before kids. We will not let that happen without a fight,” said Myrna Castrejón, President and CEO, CCSA. “The simple truth is that charter schools are helping students in California’s most vulnerable communities thrive. Today, we are standing up and telling legislators and the CTA that they cannot take away the rights of our most vulnerable communities well by closing down the charter schools that are helping them learn and thrive!”
Charter schools are providing a world-class public education for all students, including students with disabilities, students of color, and students in poverty. These bills would close high-performing charter schools and trap disadvantaged students in failing schools.
“Let’s be clear, a cap on charter schools in California is a cap on opportunity for Black families,” said CCSA Board President and Fortune School President and CEO Margaret Fortune. “This legislation only serves to widen the African American achievement gap in California and prop up a legacy of failure in our public school system as it relates to the education of Black children. “
Hundreds of parents are expected to attend the 1:30 p.m. Assembly Education Committee Hearing later today, and speak against the following:
- AB 1505 (O’Donnell): Eliminates all charter school appeals, all statewide benefit chartering, severely limits countywide benefit chartering, and allows districts broad discretion to deny a new or renewing charter school. The elimination of due process in chartering decisions would eliminate any accountability in the chartering process and thwart the needs of local families, teachers, and communities. In new amendments taken from AB 1508, this bill would also allow authorizers to deny a charter petition based on facilities, fiscal and academic impact on the district.
- AB 1506 (McCarty/O’Donnell): Imposes a cap on new charter schools. Limiting new high-quality public education options without regard to local needs will trap the most vulnerable students in failing schools.
- AB 1507 (Smith): Prohibits any charter school site from being established outside of its authorizing district. Narrow and extraordinary exceptions to charter school locations outside of the authorizing district should be allowed.
About California's Charter Schools Association:
The vision of CCSA is to build great public schools of joy and rigor that prepare all California students for success in college, career, community, and life. The mission of CCSA is to meet parent, educator, and community need for great public school options by supporting and advocating for high quality non-profit charter schools and sharing their success throughout California’s public schools.