Charter schools: performance standards for renewal.

Assembly Member Ávila Farías proposes modifying California's charter school renewal process through legislation that revises how chartering authorities evaluate lower-performing schools. The measure adjusts current requirements, which mandate consideration of academic achievement increases and postsecondary outcomes until January 2026, by extending this evaluation approach until the state fully implements its student-level growth model for English language arts and mathematics.

Under the proposal, chartering authorities must continue examining verified data - defined as information from nationally recognized, peer-reviewed sources approved by the State Board of Education - when assessing renewal applications from schools in the two lowest performance tiers. Schools seeking renewal must demonstrate they are addressing underlying performance issues and provide clear evidence of either measurable academic improvements or strong postsecondary outcomes compared to peer institutions. The bill maintains existing renewal terms of two years for lower-performing schools and five years for others.

The legislation includes provisions for reimbursing local educational agencies for any additional costs imposed by these changes, subject to review by the Commission on State Mandates. This maintains compliance with constitutional requirements regarding state-mandated local programs while establishing an implementation framework that bridges current practices with future assessment models.