Los Angeles Unified will ask California leaders to study potential changes in the state’s charter laws, and to impose a temporary moratorium on new charter schools in the District while the report is completed, under a resolution approved Tuesday by the school board.
The resolution by Board Member Dr. Richard Vladovic, and co-sponsored by Board Member Scott M. Schmerelson, requests that the Governor, the California Board of Education and the California Department of Education conduct an eight- to 10-month study of issues, including charter co-locations, facility management and the fiscal implications of charters on school districts. It also urges the Legislature to impose a moratorium on new charter schools within the District’s boundaries while the study is under way.
With 275 charters that enroll more than 150,000 students, Los Angeles Unified has the most charters of any District in the nation.
“I support school choice for families and recognize charter schools are one of the options for a high-quality education,” Superintendent Austin Beutner said. “There is nothing in this Resolution to close any existing charter schools or reduce the many choices available to families in Los Angeles Unified. The charter law is decades old, and it makes sense to me to pause while experts – not advocates – study all of the issues and propose what adjustments, if any, might be appropriate to the law to provide a path for the next 20 years.”
“As educators, we sometimes have to take a pause and reassess if what we are doing is working and having a positive effect,” Board Member Dr. Richard Vladovic said. “We also need to conduct comprehensive evaluations, analyze the facts, and look deeply into existing policies. After many years of Prop 39 in effect throughout Los Angeles Unified, we haven’t really explored if our communities and our kids are benefiting from the policies as they currently stand. This resolution is an important step to reflect and analyze the educational, financial and neighborhood impact of charter schools and how they have affected the District’s ability to deliver quality programs.”
“I am so proud to see this resolution pass,” Board Member Scott M. Schmerelson said. “It will allow us to hit ‘pause’ long enough for state and local leaders to re-examine charter law, enacted 27 years ago, to review what has worked and what is clearly not working in 2019 in Los Angeles and other California urban districts.”
“The 2019 strike is behind us and we embrace the demand to stand with our students, employees and families,” Board President Mónica García said. “I welcome the studying and celebrating of an experience in Board District 2 where charter partners, pilot schools, magnet schools, traditional schools and community based organizations have worked with students, parents and employees to increase graduation and educational justice for our community. We must work together to increase investment for all our students in schools.”
“There are a lot of things I’d like to see a moratorium on, but with all due respect to my colleagues, they’re just not addressed in this Resolution,” Nick Melvoin, Board Vice President said. “I have been consistent in my belief that the best way to mitigate charter growth is to improve district schools so that parents choose us because we’re the best, not because they don’t have any other options. That’s not a choice; that’s a sentence.”
“This decision to analyze our charter school landscape and any potential economic and academic impacts are prudent to practicing good governance,” Board Member Dr. George J. McKenna III said. “I was elected to represent the students of families of this District and make the best possible decisions for the ultimate goal of increasing student achievement. We have a variety of school models within Los Angeles Unified today and we want to ensure that we do not compromise existing schools by failing to exercise due diligence when considering future growth.”
“We have many successful charter schools in Los Angeles, which is a benefit to kids and families in the East San Fernando Valley,” Board Member Kelly Gonez said. “Today, more than 25 years since the first charter was established in Los Angeles Unified, I believe it will be beneficial to study the impacts of charter schools in our District and to analyze the best policy approach for the future.”