CLSBA Unity Conference

In 2019, AB 1505 drastically changed the charter petition review process by allowing school districts to consider whether granting the charter would serve the interests of the entire community as well as the fiscal impact of the charter. It also stripped the State Board (SBE) of its ability to independently review charter appeals and now requires it to defer to the decisions of local agencies unless it finds an abuse of discretion. When SBE defiantly ignored the new law and granted a charter school’s appeal after its petition was denied by NVUSD, NVUSD sued and won. NVUSD’s Superintendent, an NVUSD Board Member and its General Counsel will share their guidance for the charter review process in light of their experiences in this landmark court battle.