AB 2316 delivers a significant policy win for charter public schools and demonstrates the power of collective advocacy
SACRAMENTO, CA — California’s charter public schools secured a major victory with Governor Gavin Newsom’s signing of CCSA-sponsored AB 2316, authored by Assemblymember Josh Hoover (R-Folsom). The new law brings greater fairness to how the state supports charter public schools facing significant facilities costs.
CCSA thanks Governor Newsom, Assemblymember Hoover and legislative partners for helping deliver this important change for charter public schools and the students and communities they serve.
For years, charter public schools participating in the Charter School Facilities Program have not had access to the same financial hardship relief available to school districts. AB 2316 addresses that inequity by creating a path for qualifying charter public schools facing undue financial burdens to seek comparable relief.
The change represents a significant step forward for charter public schools across California, where securing and paying for facilities remains one of the most persistent challenges schools face. Every dollar consumed by excessive facilities costs is a dollar that cannot be invested directly in students, educators and classrooms. AB 2316 helps ensure eligible charter schools have another tool to protect those critical resources while maintaining safe, high-quality places for students to learn.
“This is a major victory for California’s charter public schools — and proof of what we can accomplish when charter leaders, families and advocates speak with a strong, collective voice,” said Myrna Castrejón, President and CEO of the California Charter Schools Association. “Together, we took on a longstanding inequity and turned our advocacy into lasting policy change. AB 2316 moves California closer to a more equitable system in which charter students and their schools have access to the support they need to thrive.”
CCSA sponsored AB 2316 and worked alongside charter school leaders and legislative partners to advance the measure through the Legislature and across the finish line. Its enactment marks an important statewide policy achievement for California’s charter public school community and underscores the impact of sustained, coordinated advocacy.
AB 2316 also advances a broader goal: greater equity in how California supports its public school students. Charter public schools and the students they serve too often face inequitable access to important state funding streams, including funding for student transportation, community schools and school facilities. Closing these funding gaps strengthens the ability of charter public schools to direct resources where they matter most -- toward students -- and to continue expanding educational opportunity for students and communities that have historically been underserved.
Media Interviews Available
Members of the media interested in discussing the impact of AB 2316 may request an interview with a CCSA leader or connect with a charter public school to hear directly about the law’s implications for schools and students. Please contact Ana Tintocalis, Vice President of Public Relations & Creative Services, at [email protected] to coordinate an interview.
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About the California Charter Schools Association
The vision of the California Charter Schools Association (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. Learn more.