Parent activist Karen Wolfe appeals for your help!
STOP AB 1217, Eli Broad’s latest power play.
California BATS need your help today!
California BATS Action Alert>> Please call or fax the State Assembly Education Committee TODAY! (Fax – (916)319-2187, or contact info at the bottom):
Tell them you OPPOSE AB 1217. A vote is expected this Thursday or Friday.
AB 1217 is sponsored by Eli Broad. It is a GUT & AMEND bill. That means it was sneaked into other legislation while we weren’t looking. Please help us tell the Assembly Ed Committee that we are awake!
Although not technically a charter, the bill would set a statewide precedent that lets charter school operators circumvent local districts, the County Office of Ed, and even the State Board of Education. It creates a new authorizer–the legislature. This is a top priority of the charter lobby.
Please tell Assembly Ed Committee to vote NO because:
– Usurps Local Control. The new LA school board is pro-charter. LACOE is pro-charter. Why skip them?
– Why are legislators far away pushing for a school in downtown Los Angeles? Why don’t they build one in their own district? Assembly member Miguel Santiago, who represents downtown L.A., opposes this bill.
– It circumvents an already established process to open a school. This law would create even less oversight and accountability than charter schools currently have.
– The State Finance Dept recommends a NO vote on AB 1217.
– The fields named are the blue color jobs of the tech industry. Why not a school to prepare for NASA jobs, or biotech or Engineering?
– The math & science problems are in elementary school. A high school does not address the problem, but charter operators receive more money for high schools. So is this really about kids? Or is it about money?
– We don’t need STEM schools; STEAM schools include the arts.
– California’s powerful charter lobby says it is neutral on this bill, but CCSA came to the LA School Board meeting and asked the board not to vote against it. The Center for Education Reform says, “Permitting the creation of multiple authorizers is one of the most important components of a strong charter law. The data show that states with multiple chartering authorities have almost three and a half times more charter schools than states that only allow local school board approval.”
– It will open the flood gates in California. Small, independent charters would be drowned by the big corporate charter management organizations that are ready to expand.
Shareable Action Alert by California BATs: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=776937455825833&id=164608490392069
LA County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl is against this bill.
On the LAUSD board, all three retired school principals are against this bill – George McKenna, Scott Schmerelson, Richard Vladovic.
The California Department of Finance is opposed to this bill. Its report states:
“It would be more appropriate for the school to seek establishment from the local school district, rather than from the Superintendent. The bill requires the school to develop a similar plan that charter schools must develop when submitting their petitions for charter, while circumventing the existing process to establish charter schools in the state.
“It could result in a school that lacks proper oversight, as it requires the Superintendent to issue reports to the Governor and the Legislature if the school fails to comply with this bill, but does not give the Superintendent authority to rescind its approval of the school or take other remediating measures.
“It sets a precedent for the Superintendent to approve, oversee, monitor, and report on the operation of the school beyond what the Superintendent is required to do with existing state schools.
“It creates additional total costs of $1.4 million non-Proposition 98 General Fund over five years that are beyond those included in the recently enacted Budget Act.”
California Assembly Education Committee:
Fax the Committee (916)319-2187
Patrick O’Donnell, Chair (916)319-2070
Rocky Chavez (916)319-2076
Todd Gloria (916)319-2078
Kevin Kiley (916)319-2006
Kevin McCarty (916)319-2007
Tony Thurmond (candidate for State Superintendent) (916)319-2015
Dr. Shirley Weber (916)319-2079
AB 1217 is wrong. Please call or fax, and share this with allies today!
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Diane,
Should I call even though I live in Colorado?
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I was wondering the same thing…only from Indiana.
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I would love for the head of the Assembly education committee to know that people across the country are watching. Thank you!
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Dear Karen Wolfe: I just called and left a message. I live in Schererville, IN. I also said that they would be getting more calls from across the country because we are aware that this is a terrible bill. (Hope it has some influence.)
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Thank you, carolmalaysia!
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Thank you for posting, Diane. Last night, the Los Angeles County Democratic Party Central Committee unanimously voted against AB 1217. We got it onto the agenda as an emergency measure. Senate leader Kevin De Leon and Senate Ed Committee chair Ben Allen were immediately informed of their constituents’ unanimous opposition to this bill. Democracy is a good disruptor.
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The Assembly approved this bill 77-0-3, so it’s up to the Senate now. I have contacted my State Senator but not hopeful. On the plus side, the bill states it applies in counties with a population over 3,500,000, which is only LA, and is for only one school.
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Ray, that was in May, 2017, when the bill was for teacher training. It was then completely gutted and replaced with the current version which creates a new authorizer for schools. This is how things get sneaked through. Please don’t be discouraged. CALL!
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You appear to be correct about the Assembly version voted on in May, but I don’t think it is correct that this creates a new authorizer that can approve other schools. From the current text:
Section 1217 (a)
(2) There is hereby established a state school, located in a county with a population of more than 3,500,000, governed by a nonprofit public benefit corporation for the purpose of providing outstanding and innovative instruction in the STEM subjects to historically underrepresented pupils…
(3) The state school shall complete a plan that governs the education of its pupils and the operation of the school, and shall submit the plan for review and approval by the Superintendent. Before adopting the plan, the governing body of the state school shall respond to any comments and feedback provided by the Superintendent..
It deals with only one school. Does set a terrible precedent, though because the Supt. is in no way equipped to oversee this school.
I have already called my Senator.
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I just called my Assembly Member, Tony Thrumond, who is on the committee and the person I talked to said they are getting a lot of calls against the bill.
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Nice! Let’s keep ’em coming.
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