The Charter Schools Act of 1992 is the legislation that gave origin to charter schools in California and provides the framework for the authorization and oversight of charter schools.  The LAUSD Board of Education, exclusively, holds the power and authority to approve or deny a charter.

The District authorizes and oversees two types of charter schools: 

1. Independent: An independent charter school is an independently run Local Educational Agency (LEA) governed by its own Board of Directors and overseen by its authorizer. 
   
   
2. Affiliated: An affiliated, or dependent, charter school has closer ties with the District than the independent charter school in that it is under the governance of the LAUSD Board of Education and follows most policies and procedures of the District. 

Both independent and affiliated charter schools must adhere to applicable laws and to the terms of their charter.

A school which was formerly an existing District school that later became a charter school is referred to as a conversion charter.  A school that is created from inception as a charter school is referred to as a start-up charter. 

A new charter petition must include affirmations that the charter school will:

• Be nonsectarian in its programs, admission policies, employment practices, and all other operations. (Ed. Code, § 47605(e)(1).)
  
  
• Not charge tuition. (Ed. Code, § 47605(e)(1).)
  
  
• Not discriminate against any pupil on the basis of disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic that is contained in the definition of hate crimes set forth in section 422.55 of the Penal Code, including immigration status. (Ed. Code, § 47605(e)(1); Ed. Code, § 220.)
  
  
• Except as provided in Education Code section 47605(e)(2), admission to a charter school shall not be determined according to the place of residence of the pupil, or of his or her parent or legal guardian, within this state, except that an existing public school converting partially or entirely to a charter school under this part shall adopt and maintain a policy giving admission preference to pupils who reside within the former attendance area of that school. (Ed. Code, § 47605(e)(1).)
  
  
• Admit all pupils who wish to attend Charter School. (Ed. Code, § 47605(e)(2)(A).)
  
  
• Except for existing pupils of Charter School, determine attendance by a public random drawing if the number of pupils who wish to attend Charter School exceeds Charter School’s capacity. Preference shall be extended to pupils currently attending Charter School and pupils who reside in LAUSD. (Ed. Code, § 47605(e)(2)(B).)
  
  
• If a pupil is expelled or leaves Charter School without graduating or completing the school year for any reason, Charter School shall notify the superintendent of the school district of the pupil’s last known address within 30 days, and shall, upon request, provide that school district with a copy of the cumulative record of the pupil, including a transcript of grades or report card, and health information. (Ed. Code, § 47605(e)(3).)
  
  
• Meet all statewide standards and conduct the pupil assessments required pursuant to Education Code sections 60605 and any other statewide standards authorized in statute or pupil assessments applicable to pupils in non-charter public schools. (Ed. Code, § 47605(d)(1).)
  
  
• Consult, on a regular basis, with Charter School’s parents, legal guardians, and teachers regarding the school’s educational programs. (Ed. Code, § 47605(d)(2).) 
  
  
• Charter School hereby declares that Charter School, operated as or by its nonprofit public benefit corporation, is and shall be the exclusive public school employer of Charter School’s employees for the purposes of the Educational Employment Relations Act (“EERA”), Chapter 10.7 (commencing with Section 3540) of Division 4 of Title I of the Government Code. Charter School shall comply with all provisions of the EERA and shall act independently from LAUSD for collective bargaining purposes. In accordance with the EERA, employees may join and be represented by an organization of their choice for collective bargaining purposes.