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California Charter Schools Association President & CEO Myrna Castrejón Issues Statement on the 2023-2024 State Budget

June 28, 2023

SACRAMENTO, CA  California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) President and CEO Myrna Castrejón issued the following statement regarding the passage of the 2023-2024 state budget:

 “We are pleased that the education trailer bills passed by the Legislature today reflect that California’s public education system remains a top priority. While there are plenty of bright spots to point to in student progress over the past year, we must continue to provide stability and greater investments in education, especially for the students who are still recovering from the effects of the pandemic. Even facing a state budget deficit, the final budget prioritizes increases in per-pupil funding for K-12 schools.

 “The Trailer Bill provides a one-year extension on charter renewals, which is key to minimizing further instability for California’s public school students. We were pleased that the Legislature and Governor saw fit to include it. School resources should be focused on educational outcomes, not bureaucracy. We want to thank Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil for her leadership in championing SB 739 through the Senate which sent a clear message to the rest of the Legislature and the Governor that a charter renewal extension was necessary.

 “The education budget was not perfect, however, and we are concerned about changes to the charter appeal process. We will continue to work to ensure that quality charter schools have a fair path to approval and renewal. We were also disappointed at the extension of the moratorium on new nonclassroom-based charter schools (NCBs). California’s NCBs provide the opportunity for some of our most vulnerable students to access an education. We should do more to increase those opportunities, not stifle them. Despite these concerns, we thank the Governor and Legislature for ensuring fair accountability for charter renewals and prioritizing investments in California’s students.”

About the California Charter Schools Association
The vision of the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) is to build great public schools of joy and rigor that prepare all California students for success in college, career, community, and life. The mission of CCSA is to meet parent, educator, and community need for great public school options by supporting and advocating for high quality non-profit charter schools and sharing their success throughout California’s public schools. Learn more

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