Title
Approval of the Renewal Petition for Village Charter Academy [PUBLIC HEARING]
Charter Schools Division
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Brief Description:
description
(Approval of the Renewal Petition for Village Charter Academy) Recommends approval of the renewal petition for Village Charter Academy, a High performing, Start-Up Independent charter school, located in Board District 3 and Region North, for six (6) years, beginning July 1, 2027, until June 30, 2033, to serve up to 350 students in grades TK-5 in each year of the charter term.
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Recommendation
Action Proposed:
Approve the renewal petition for Village Charter Academy (“Charter School”), a Start-Up Independent charter school, located in Board District 3 and Region North, for a term of six (6) years, beginning July 1, 2027 until June 30, 2033, to serve up to 350 students in grades TK-5 in each year of the charter term. The school is requesting to increase its current enrollment capacity from 325 students to 350 students to accommodate increased interest in enrollment. The District is recommending approval of an increase of enrollment capacity from 325 students to 350 students based on the assessment of Charter School’s record of performance. The recommendation for approval is based on the information set forth in the attached Staff Assessment and Recommendation Report.
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Background:
Village Charter Academy is a TK-5 school currently serving 310 students on a private facility at 7357 Jordan Avenue, Canoga Park, CA 91303 in Board District 3 and Region North. Village Charter Academy was originally approved by the LAUSD Board of Education on December 17, 2013. On September 25, 2018, the charter school was renewed for a five-year term to serve 325 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 Village Charter Academy expires June 30, 2027.
On July 16, 2026, Village Charter Academy submitted its charter renewal petition application to the Charter Schools Division seeking to continue operations of its independent charter school. The 90-day statutory timeline for Board action on this petition runs through October 14, 2026.
An initial Public Hearing was held on August 25, 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.
Due Diligence:
Current Village Charter Academy governing board members complete questionnaires so the District may assess whether any conflicts of interest arise based on the information provided. Additionally, resumes and due diligence forms are requested from Village Charter Academy’s Lead Petitioner; Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer or equivalent; Principal or equivalent; Financial manager or equivalent; and Chief Financial Officer or equivalent, as applicable. A confidential due diligence review of the charter school, the governing organization, and school’s leaders, may be conducted by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) as appropriate, and to the extent the OIG identifies any material concerns, such information was forwarded to District staff for further assessment.
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 14 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, applicable policies and requirements, local, state, and federal law including ordinances, statutes, and regulations as well as with the terms set forth in Charter School’s renewal petition. The measurable pupil outcomes and method by which pupil progress toward outcomes will be measured are set forth in the renewal petition.
Board Options and Consequences:
“Yes” - If the Board adopts the recommendation of approval of the renewal petition, Charter School would be authorized to continue operations as a charter school for the charter term beginning July 1, 2027.
“No” - If the Board does not adopt the recommendation of approval, and instead takes specific action to deny the renewal 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 renewal 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. 105, 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’s renewal petition.
Policy Implications:
All provisions in the 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 FSDRL and any applicable legal and District policy requirement, those applicable legal and District policy requirements shall control and the FSDRL shall be updated accordingly.
Budget Impact:
State income and various other income sources to the District are reduced when current District students enroll at a charter school, and comparable or offsetting expenditure reduction may not occur in such cases. Under Education Code section 47604(d), a chartering authority that grants a charter to a charter school to be operated as or by a nonprofit public benefit corporation is not liable for the debts or obligations of the charter school or for claims arising from the performance of acts, errors, or omissions by the charter school, if the chartering authority has complied with all oversight responsibilities required by law, including, but not limited to, those required by Education Code section 47604.32 and Education Code section 47605(m). As the chartering authority, the District will continue to monitor and evaluate the charter school’s fiscal condition and operations, and management of public funds, including review of all legally required fiscal reports, and the annual update of the charter school’s LCAP. (Ed. Code, §§ 47604.32, 47604.33, 47606.5.) Any significant modifications to the charter school’s charter or operations that raise financial implications would require a material revision prior to implementation. Charter schools are expected to secure and maintain all insurance coverage consistent with all applicable legal, District and charter requirements.
Charter School has chosen to remain with a non-LAUSD Special Education Local Planning Area (SELPA) of which it is currently a participating member. Should Charter School subsequently elect to be part of the LAUSD SELPA, any Option election that occurs during Charter School’s charter term shall be mutually agreed upon and addressed in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Charter School and the District. The Option election shall be effective on July 1 of the next school year with the corresponding fair share contribution.
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.
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:
Signature Page
Attachment A- Staff Assessment and Recommendation Report
Attachment B- Village Charter Academy Data Set
Attachment C- Desegregation Impact Statement
Budget, Petition, CORE Data (if applicable), and Verified Data Reports (if applicable) will be available prior to the board meeting at the following link:
<https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1kPkIUibHNGkBakzoHh-7Lsy_zNkfbGiK?usp=sharing>
Submitted:
9/17/26