Title
Approval of the Renewal Petition for Colfax Charter Elementary (Affiliated Charter School) [PUBLIC HEARING]
Charter Schools Division
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Brief Description:
description
(Approval of the Renewal Petition for Colfax Charter Elementary) Recommends approval of the renewal petition for Colfax Charter Elementary, a High performing, Conversion Affiliated charter school, located in Board District 3 and Region North, for six (6) years, beginning July 1, 2026, until June 30, 2032, to serve up to 786 students in grades TK-5 in each year of the charter term.
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Recommendation
Action Proposed:
Approve the renewal petition for Colfax Charter Elementary (“Charter School”), a Conversion Affiliated charter school, located in Board District 3 and Region North, for six (6) years, beginning July 1, 2026, until June 30, 2032, to serve up to 786 students in grades TK-5 in each year of the charter term. The recommendation for approval is based on the information set forth in the attached Staff Assessment and Recommendation Report.
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Body
Background:
Colfax Charter Elementary is a TK-5 school currently serving 778 students on a District facility at 4935 Colfax Ave., Valley Village, CA, 91601 in Board District 3 and Region North. Colfax Charter Elementary was originally approved by the LAUSD Board of Education on July 8, 2008. On April 3, 2018, the charter school was renewed for a five-year term to serve 679 students in grades TK-5. Pursuant to Education Code section 47607.4, all charter schools whose term expires on or between January 1, 2022, and June 30, 2025, inclusive, shall have their term extended by two years, and all charter schools whose term expires on or between January 1, 2024, and June 30, 2027, inclusive, shall have their term extended by one additional year. Thus, by operation of law, the charter term for Colfax Charter Elementary expires June 30, 2026.
On February 12, 2026, Colfax Charter Elementary submitted its charter renewal petition application to the Charter Schools Division seeking to continue operations of its affiliated charter school. The 90-day statutory timeline for Board action on this petition runs through May 13, 2026.
An initial Public Hearing was held on March 10, 2026.
Based on a comprehensive review and assessment of Charter School’s renewal petition application and its record of performance, staff has determined that Charter School has met the requirements for renewal and therefore recommends approval of the renewal petition.
Statutory Framework and Criteria for Renewal:
A charter school must demonstrate that it is eligible for a renewal of its charter by meeting specific renewal criteria outlined in the Charter Schools Act. The renewal criteria prescribed in Education Code sections 47607 and 47607.2 requires a three-pronged analysis:
Criterion 1: The Charter Schools Act provides that renewals are governed by the standards and criteria described in Education Code section 47605 applicable to initial petitions. The first criterion considered in reviewing a renewal petition requires an analysis of the following:
• Whether the petition includes a sound educational program;
• Whether the petition contains a reasonably comprehensive description of the 15 elements required for petitions;
• Whether the petition contains an affirmation of each of the conditions described in Education Code section 47605(e); and
• Whether the charter school is demonstrably unlikely to successfully implement the program set forth in the petition. Education Code section 47607(b) provides that renewals are governed by the standards and criteria described in section 47605 applicable to initial petitions. (The Board may not consider the community impact analysis or District fiscal analysis in determining whether to grant or deny a renewal petition).
Criterion 2: The Board is required to consider the charter school’s performance on the California School Dashboard accountability indicators. Education Code sections 47607 and 47607.2 prescribe three-tiers of performance classification in which a charter school falls within one of the following categories - “high,” “middle,” or “low.” The three-tier classification considers a charter school’s performance on the California School Dashboard accountability indicators, with an emphasis on the measurements of academic performance.
Criterion 3: Notwithstanding Criterion 1 and 2, the Board must also consider whether the charter school’s enrollment or dismissal practices are discriminatory as grounds for nonrenewal. (Ed. Code, § 47607(e).) Additionally, the Board considers whether the charter school has substantial fiscal or governance factors as grounds for nonrenewal. (Ed. Code, § 47607(e).)
Expected Outcomes:
Charter School is expected to operate its school in a manner consistent with Board action, policies and requirements, local, state, and federal law including ordinances, statutes, and regulations as well as with the terms and conditions set forth in Charter School’s petition. The measurable pupil outcomes and method by which pupil progress toward outcomes will be measured are set forth in the charter petition.
Board Options and Consequences:
“Yes” - If the Board adopts the recommendation of approval of the renewal charter petition, Charter School would be authorized to continue operations as a charter school for the charter term beginning July 1, 2026.
“No” - If the Board does not adopt the recommendation of approval, and instead takes specific action to deny the renewal charter petition, Charter School would not be authorized to continue operations as a charter school. The petitioners may appeal a denial to Los Angeles County Board of Education. If the petition is approved on appeal by the Los Angeles County Board of Education, Charter School would be authorized by the Los Angeles County Board of Education. If the Los Angeles County Board of Education denies the renewal petition, the petitioners may appeal that denial to the California State Board of Education. If the denial of the renewal petition is reversed by the California State Board of Education, the California State Board of Education shall designate, in consultation with the petitioners, either the LAUSD Board or the Los Angeles County Board of Education as the chartering authority. This Board Report No. 402, accompanying documents, and transcript of the Board meeting, shall constitute the Board of Education’s adopted written findings of fact for the denial of Charter School renewal petition.
Policy Implications:
All provisions in the Affiliated FSDRL shall be consistent with and be governed by all applicable legal and District policy requirements. To the extent any inconsistency may exist between any provision contained in the Affiliated FSDRL and any applicable legal and District policy requirement, those applicable legal and District policy requirements shall control and the Affiliated FSDRL shall be updated accordingly.
Budget Impact:
As an affiliated charter school, Colfax Charter Elementary is part of the District for purposes of special education.
As an affiliated charter, all revenues generated by the school will be received by LAUSD. The District will allocate school resources in the same manner as it does a non-charter school except as otherwise specified in the statute and in applicable District policies.
Student Impact:
As stated in the LAUSD Policy and Procedures for Charter Schools, “[W]hen the LAUSD Board authorizes and oversees a charter school, it establishes a relationship to advance its vision and mission and to accelerate gains in academic achievement and accountability for all of its students and public schools,” (Policy, p.3). Based on a comprehensive review and assessment of Charter School’s renewal petition application, staff has determined that Charter School has met the requirements for charter school approval.
Equity Impact:
Not applicable
Issues and Analysis:
If all applicable pending issues, including but not limited to special education requirements, special education local planning area (SELPA) requirements, governance, fiscal and facilities matters, are not resolved at the time of the Board meeting, the item may be pulled from the agenda to the extent consistent with the Charter Schools Act and the LAUSD Policy and Procedures for Charter Schools.
Attachments:
Attachment A- Staff Assessment and Recommendation Report
Attachment B- Colfax Charter Elementary Data Set
Attachment C- Desegregation Impact Statement
Petition will be available prior to the board meeting at the following link:
<https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16fLSQYiDpTAq4wPXP3cPau5YnsDA0evI?usp=sharing>
Submitted:
04/16/26
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, APPROVED BY:
______________________________ _____________________________
ANDRÉS E. CHAIT CAROLYN SPAHT GONZALEZ
Acting Superintendent Chief of Staff
REVIEWED BY: APPROVED & PRESENTED BY:
______________________________ ______________________________
DEVORA NAVERA REED JOSÉ COLE-GUTIÉRREZ
General Counsel Senior Executive Director of Strategy
Division of Data, Strategy, and Innovation
___ Approved as to form.
REVIEWED BY: APPROVED & PRESENTED BY:
______________________________ ______________________________
KURT E. JOHN MARLA WILLMOTT
Deputy Chief Financial Officer Director
Charter Schools Division
___ Approved as to budget impact statement.