As described in a recent article from the Charter School Development Center (CSDC), the proposed California budget bill AB-77 (supported by both Governor Newsom and the Legislature) would base 2020-21 school-year funding based on 2019-20 attendance.
Because the State of California funds charter schools and school districts based on their average daily attendance (ADA) , this would significantly affect growing schools – many of which have already hired additional staff, and purchased books, material and equipment, and in some cases expanded their facilities to accommodate for a larger student body.
According to CSDC, “Given the general lack of support for non-classroom-based charter schools in the Legislature, prospects for a broader fix are troubling. Even the proposed Newsom Administration “fix” is far from a done deal. We anticipate the Legislature is likely to support it, but it will likely take up the issue next week and would need to enact any legislation on point before the August 31 constitutional deadline to pass bills for this year. The last-minute nature of the growth cap, tight deadlines, and the Legislature’s lack of public engagement during the pandemic all make advocacy especially challenging.
Notwithstanding these challenges, CSDC suggests that all charter school leaders, parents, and stakeholders, including those from classroom-based ones that may support the proposed “fix,” contact their legislators to advocate for expanding the proposed growth funding cap to address all charter school students/families, including those served by non-classroom-based schools and do the same with Governor Newsom.”
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