Last week, the voices of parents, students, teachers, and education leaders defeated a pair of extreme bills that would have limited access to great public schools for vulnerable students.

The chorus of grassroots voices from across the state speaking out against bills SB 756 and AB 1506 was so strong that they didn’t even make it to the floor of their respective chambers for a vote. And for good reason: these extreme bills would have ripped opportunity away from our state’s most vulnerable students and weakened California’s education system.  

These past few weeks have been a bruising a battle, with tough setbacks for charter public school families wanting better schools and a brighter future. But misguided Sacramento politicians faced a serious and sustained pushback against their extreme agenda--one that was more interested in the needs of their special interest friends than the kids and parents they represent.  

We should all enjoy these victories and reflect on the powerful and meaningful work we’ve done to defend great public schools and ensure vulnerable students have access to them. But we must also remain vigilant and recognize that this fight is far from over.

Two extreme bills, AB 1505 and AB 1507, have already made their way through the Assembly and are making their way to the Senate next month. Here’s a quick recap on what these poisonous bills would do:

AB 1505: Would remove academic performance as the most important factor for renewing a charter public school and gut the appeal rights of denied schools. The bill would also strip away teacher credentialing flexibility.

AB 1507: Would eliminate the facilities exemption, making it harder for classroom- based charter public schools facing facilities challenges to locate in neighboring districts. It would also harshly impact non-classroom-based charters schools to site resource centers in neighboring counties.

The only way these bills can be defeated is if grassroots voices continue to put constant pressure on the legislature to either make dramatic changes to the bills or shelve them all-together. 

Learn more about our legislative agenda here.