Public school campuses are not merely buildings; they are the backbone of our educational system, serving as hubs of learning, growth, and community engagement. They are a resource for all public school students, regardless of whether they attend district or charter public schools. These campuses are not the property of a school district but are instead held in trust for the benefit of every student.
However, on March 19, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board of Education voted 4-3 to enact a new policy prohibiting charter public schools from sharing space with more than 300 schools in the district and depriving charter students of their right to equitable resources. This new policy is not based on practical considerations or the letter of the law but rather on political motives by United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) backed Board members who ultimately want to eliminate charter public schools.
On April 2, the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) filed a lawsuit against LAUSD in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, to prevent the implementation of the unlawful policy that severely limits charter public school students’ access to LAUSD campuses and prohibits charter schools from sharing space with more than 300 schools in the district, nearly half of all campuses.
The affected campuses are concentrated in the neediest communities where families have turned to charter public schools to help their children succeed academically. This will have an impact on charter public schools that are community schools – the same type of schools that the Board members who supported the policy say they support.
Despite our offer to work collaboratively with the Board on a fair and equitable policy that would improve the process of sharing campuses, LAUSD disregarded the voices of charter school students and families and adopted a new policy supported by UTLA, their biggest campaign contributor. Board Members Jackie Goldberg, Dr. Rocio Rivas, Scott Schmerelson, and George McKenna voted to support the policy. The vote also comes at a time when voters, especially parents, support charter public schools at an all-time high.
At the heart of this issue is LAUSD’s legal requirement to adhere to Proposition 39, a voter-approved law that mandates that charter public school students have access to the same and reasonably equivalent facilities as their district school counterparts. The lawsuit filed by CCSA asserts that LAUSD’s policy violates the basic tenets of Proposition 39, is in direct conflict with the will of the voters, and it must be invalidated.
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Charter public schools play a vital role in our public education system, providing innovative programs tailored to the diverse needs of students and families. The new policy takes away options for parents and limits them to a one-size-fits-all education system. It also goes against what LA area voters want; polling data found that 87 percent believe parents should have the right to choose a charter public school if they think it is better for their child.
Despite its enrollment decline over the last two decades of 350,000 students – nearly half of the peak enrollment of 737,000 – LAUSD continues to restrict charter school access to facilities, even though there are thousands of available seats in district schools. At a time of declining enrollment, there is more than enough school space for all public school students.
As the legal proceedings unfold, we will continue to advocate for the rights of all students to access quality educational facilities. We call on the board to reconsider its policy and work collaboratively with the charter school community to ensure every student has the necessary resources to succeed. We need to uphold the rights of all students to quality educational spaces and rethink how resources are shared in our school communities. Our children’s futures depend on it.
Myrna Castrejón is president and CEO of the California Charter Schools Association
