As the legislature gets ready to reconvene next week for the last week of the legislative session, the State Assembly will be taking up SB 1263.
SB 1263 originated from a local dispute between superintendents in Santa Clarita and the surrounding area. Concerns were raised about why one school district, Acton-Aqua Dulce, authorizes charter schools even though they are vehemently anti-charter school. Since the local districts couldn’t stop Acton from authorizing charter schools they went to a legislator who was favorable to their position, Senator Fran Pavley.
Senator Pavley’s responded by authoring legislation that forces communication between the rival factions but, in typical legislative fashion, the measure has morphed into legislation cutting off an option of authorization for charter schools.
Last month in the Assembly Education Committee, Chairwoman Joan Buchanan added amendments to the legislation to limit the bill to only impact one school, the Albert Einstein Academy (which Acton authorizes).
Amazing as it may be for the state assembly to champion legislation affecting only one school but with a state-wide impact; the amendments were drafted so broadly that other charter school groups are still opposed.
Even the Southern California Tribal Chairman’s Association has come out in opposition to SB 1263 because of the possible negative impact it could have on the charter schools that they work with.
This reinforces the notion that charter school advocates better keep their eyes open because the legislature is capable of enacting all sorts of negative legislation on their behalf.
Click here to view SB 1263.
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