Some anti-charter lawmakers in California are pushing a deeply flawed proposal — AB 84, authored by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D–Torrance). This bill would strip millions in state funding from charter public schools — money meant for classrooms — and redirect it toward bloated oversight costs and added bureaucracy. The hardest hit? Charter schools that offer flex-based options such as hybrid learning, home-schooling, virtual school, independent study, and drop-in centers.

Want to understand how AB 84 threatens real teaching and learning?

Read this powerful commentary by Kevin Humphrey, Superintendent of Guajome Charter Public Schools in Vista which serves students through both full-time, in-person instruction and a flex-based program.

 
As the leader of Guajome Charter Public Schools, which serves students through both classroom-based and flexible instructional models, I’m deeply concerned about the harm AB 84 would cause—not just to our schools, but to the students and families who depend on us. 

Let me be clear: I support strong accountability. But AB 84 does not deliver that. Instead, it takes aim at charter public schools with no real plan to address the actual issues of waste, fraud, or abuse. A better alternative exists—SB 414—which offers real solutions without punishing schools that are doing the right thing for kids.

AB 84 goes too far. It’s an overreach that would undermine schools like ours that are working tirelessly to serve vulnerable student populations.

Take Guajome Park Academy, for example—our K–12 program that spans two campuses. If AB 84 passes, we would see our oversight fees triple, resulting in nearly half a million dollars diverted away from classrooms. That’s $499,383.69 we could no longer invest in teacher salaries, student supports, or critical instructional resources. Fewer students served, and fewer opportunities for them to succeed.

But the consequences don’t end there.

Guajome Learning Center, our flex-based charter school, provides a vital option for students who need a safe, supportive, and personalized learning environment—whether they’re LGBTQ+ youth fleeing unsupportive districts, students in academic recovery, or young people fighting life-threatening illnesses like cancer.

Under AB 84, our oversight fees for this program would spike by over $28,000. On top of that, we’d be forced to absorb a 30% cut to our state funding—another $297,549.21 gone.

That kind of hit would be devastating. It would force us to cut teachers, scale back technology access, and potentially dismantle the very programs that make our learning center a lifeline for students who need it most.

AB 84 is not about improving education or ensuring accountability. In my opinion, it's a politically motivated attack that would cripple schools like ours without any evidence that such extreme cuts are warranted.

Kevin Humphrey has been serving as superintendent of Guajome Charter Public Schools since 2016. He is also a member on CCSA's Member Council. Mr. Humphrey began his career as a history and government teacher and spent 12 years in the classroom. He then served as a school administrator at Guajome for four years before becoming Superintendent. 

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