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Education
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
AB 1505 empowers communities to consider the fiscal impact of new charter schools on existing schools in the neighborhood, increases accountability and transparency for all charter schools, and ensures that high-quality charter schools continue to thrive.
“AB 1505 is the result of leaders from all sides of this issue coming together to enact a law that is meaningful, purposeful and, most importantly, prioritizes students and families from both traditional and charter schools across California,” said Gov. Newsom. “We now have the framework for charter and traditional schools to work together collaboratively in service of their communities and neighborhoods.”
“AB 1505 is a long overdue reform of charter school law,” said Assemblymember O’Donnell. “This bill ensures that we will have qualified teachers in all classrooms and gives local school boards more discretion over charter authorization. I want to thank Governor Newsom for his leadership and the stakeholders for their hard work to ensure student success and taxpayer accountability.”
Below are some of the items included in AB 1505:
– Allows charter authorizers to close a charter school for fiscal and governance concerns or if the charter school is not serving all student populations.
– Allows charter authorizers to consider, when reviewing a petition for a new charter school, or a charter that is expanding sites or grade-levels, how the charter school would financially affect the community and the neighborhood schools.
– Allows a charter school authorizer to deny a charter school when the district is in fiscal distress, as determined by the county superintendent of schools.
– Clarifies that charter school teachers must have a state level background check and the required credential for their assignment, with a transition period.
– Establishes a two-year moratorium on non-classroom based charter schools, with a commitment to reform the sector in the next two years.
– Transitions the charter schools currently authorized by the State Board to have oversight by their local school district or county office of education.
– Requires charter school authorizers to use the state accountability system as the basis for charter school renewal.
– Requires the California Department of Education to collect and monitor data on implementation of the bill, including patterns in authorization and appeals.
“This is historic legislation that marks a new chapter of collaboration between charter and traditional schools in California,” added Gov. Newsom.
“I want to thank Gov. Newsom, Assemblymember O’Donnell, and all the stakeholders for this important legislation,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said. “This represents the first significant overhaul of charter school law since it was introduced decades ago. This legislation allows for thoughtful consideration of the establishment of new charter schools by allowing us to weigh fiscal and community impacts when making decision about when to authorize a new charter school. It also provides clarity to authorizers and charter school applicants about how charter schools should be renewed.”
“Working together, we’ve made monumental changes to improve decades-old charter school laws,” said California Teachers Association President Toby Boy. “We profoundly appreciate Assembly Member O’Donnell’s hard work on AB 1505 and Governor Gavin Newsom’s leadership and commitment to begin fixing laws governing charter schools. This legislation protects students by strengthening local school communities’ decision-making power regarding all matters related to charter schools’ authorization and renewal. It also builds on efforts earlier this year to hold charter schools to the same standards of accountability and transparency as other public schools.”
“This historic agreement affirms that high-quality charter schools are here to stay and that the charter school model is a key lever in closing the state’s achievement gap,” said California Charter Schools Association President and CEO Myrna Castrejón. “AB 1505 can put to rest lingering questions about whether charter schools serve all students and help turn our collective attention to investing in and holding all public schools accountable. Governor Newsom and legislative leadership made all the difference here, and we look forward to working with leaders across California to usher in a new era of achievement and innovation for all students.”
Other related bills signed by the governor include:
– AB 1507 by Assemblymember Christy Smith (D-Santa Clarita), which removes exemptions in current law to require charter schools to operate within the geographic boundaries of their authorizing district.
– SB 126 by Senator Connie Leyva (D-Chino). Signed by the Governor in March, SB 126 requires charter schools and charter management organizations to adhere to public records and open meeting laws, such as the Brown or Bagley-Keene Acts, Public Records Act, conflict-of interest-provisions, and the Political Reform Act.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The bill prohibits postsecondary schools from withholding transcripts from students who owe a debt and ensures students are not hamstrung in pursuing educational and career opportunities by the practices of certain schools and colleges.
“As our nation struggles under the weight of a $1.5 trillion student debt crisis, it is essential that we follow every road to help students succeed,” said Attorney General Becerra. “Today, with AB 1313 signed into law, California is a taking a step toward solving a chicken and egg dilemma. Students with debt can no longer be denied their transcripts – one of the most important tools students need to help address their debt. We’re proud to help protect students from unfair debt collection practices – no one should be denied opportunity simply because of their financial situation.”
“Thank you Gov. Newsom for signing AB 1313, which gives all of our students a chance to succeed regardless of their financial situation. A recent UC Student Association study highlighted that students of color and low-income students are three times more likely to take on student loan debt than their white and wealthier peers,” said Assemblywoman Luz Rivas. “There are plenty of other options on the table for the collection of debt, but withholding a student’s transcript should not be one of those options. The passage of AB 1313 eliminates higher education institutions’ ability to use the predatory practice of withholding transcripts to collect student debt. California continues to put students first."
AB 1313 was introduced to address educational policy that allowed schools to withhold transcripts to collect debt. California has taken steps to move away from this practice.
Last year, California passed AB 1974, which prohibits K-12 public and charter schools from withholding grades or transcripts from students because they owe a debt. AB 1313 addresses the same issue at postsecondary schools and colleges by prohibiting them from conditioning the provision of a transcript on the payment of a debt.
Postsecondary schools would also be prohibited from charging a higher fee or providing a less favorable treatment of a request for a transcript simply because the student owes a debt.
This legislation was prompted by investigations conducted by the California Department of Justice which unveiled instances where schools and colleges have threatened to withhold transcripts from students who owe, or are alleged to owe, debt as a tactic to collect this money, even when the debt was invalid.
Withholding transcripts interferes with economic opportunity and causes severe hardships for current and former students, because a transcript is often required to secure a job, transfer or apply to another school, or obtain certain licenses.
A copy of the bill can be found here.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
FORT BRAGG, Calif. – Students of Mendocino College’s Krenov School of Fine Woodworking were welcomed to the coastal community with a surprise gift.
Each of the 23 students enrolled in the year-long program received a $75 gift card to Rossi Building Materials.
The gift cards were jointly provided by the Mendocino College Foundation and Rossi’s, and will help students purchase materials for the course.
“It is a really nice welcome to the town and will be genuinely useful to our students,” said Krenov School Director Laura Mays.
This year’s class of woodworkers includes 17 first-year students and six second-year students.
Students have travelled to Fort Bragg to participate in the program from Denmark, Austria, England, Australia, South Africa, Canada, and all over the United States, from Hawaii to New York.
The Krenov School was founded in 1981 by a group of Mendocino woodworkers who invited renowned woodworker and author James Krenov to the area.
The school was under the auspices of College of the Redwoods until 2017 when it was transferred to Mendocino College.
Students are engaged in full-time study, eight hours a day, six days a week over two semesters.
The gift cards were presented to the incoming class by Anna Kvinsland, development director for the Mendocino College Foundation.
Second-year student Kristi Williams spoke for the returning students when she said, “We second-year students are very grateful to be back, with the kind community’s support.”
To learn more about Mendocino College’s Krenov School of Fine Woodworking, go to https://thekrenovschool.org.
To find out how you can support local students, contact Kvinsland by email at
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Drop in anytime between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. to receive one-on-one assistance with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA; Promise Grant; DREAM Act; Pell Grant; and Cal Grant.
Spanish-speaking services will be provided between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Attendees who complete an exit survey will be entered in a drawing to win prizes.
To prepare for the event, students and parents need to bring 2018 income information and Social Security Number or residency information (if applicable).
Those who are uncertain whether they qualify for financial aid are encouraged to complete the FAFSA or DREAM Act to receive the LCC Promise Grant.
All first-time college students enrolled in 12 units or more receive free tuition for the first two years, regardless of financial aid status.
For more information, please contact 707-995-7900.
The Lake County Campus is located at 15880 Dam Road Extension, Clearlake.
For more information about the Lake County Campus, visit https://lcc.yccd.edu/.