"To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice."
-- - Magna Carta
Last week the LAUSD Charter School Division finally provided an update on how much charter schools still owe the students of the District for past due overallocation fees. The Division's chair, Jose' Cole-Gutie'rrez, refuses to keep his promise to provide up-to-date information; this data is almost two months old.
As of June 30, 2024, the balance owed by Los Angeles charter schools is $3,003,768, which is $131,304 more than what was shown by the Division's last report on May 30, 2024. This increase is accounted for by the assessment of $299,199 in overallocation fees to the KIPP chain of charter schools. In total, $167,895 was paid toward the outstanding debt.
To date, the LAUSD School Board has refused to take action to ensure that charter schools promptly pay what they owe. To jump-start the efforts, I am proposing that they pass the following resolution:
Make LAUSD Students Whole:
Whereas: Under the LAUSD's rules to implement PROP-39, charter schools can demand space on District campuses.
Whereas: When a charter school is given space on a District campus, the education of LAUSD students can be severely disrupted. In the past, public schools have lost space they used to provide music and art classes, parent centers, and after-school programs. Students were forced in some cases to receive special education services in stairwells and closets.
Whereas: The amount of space provided to a charter is based on the number of students the charter school says it will serve at the location.
Whereas: When a charter school enrolls fewer students than it specified in its PROP-39 application it receives more space than it is entitled to. This needlessly deprives LAUSD students of space that could have been used for their education.
Whereas: State law requires school districts to charge an overallocation fee to any charter school that overestimates its enrollment. This fee is supposed to be paid to the District within 30 days of assessment.
Whereas: Under LAUSD policy 90% of the overallocation fees are given to affected schools when payment is received. This partially compensates the students who were needlessly deprived of space.
Whereas: A report from the Charter School Division shows that on June 30, 2024, charter schools had an unpaid overdue balance of $3,003,768.
Whereas: The balance reported by the Charter School Division does not include the $7,678,022 the Charter School Division forgave in 2022 without explanation or approval by the LAUSD School Board.
Whereas: The charter School Division has entered into payment plans with 15 charter schools, covering $ 1,529,977 of the outstanding debt. Reports do not show any interest being assessed while the debt remains unpaid. The payment plans' terms have not been publicly disclosed nor did they receive approval from the LAUSD School Board.
Whereas: The unpaid balances victimize the affected LAUSD students for a second time as their schools are deprived of their portion of the fees that they could use to provide additional services.
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