California’s charter schools currently operate under ambiguous conflict-of-interest regulations.  This lack of clarity has led to misuses of public education dollars that were intended for children.  The most egregious abuses have occurred when charter school board members have benefitted financially from decisions made by their own board.  Due to these financial improprieties, charter schools are forced to close, and school district governing boards are left to assess and repair the damage.

Assembly Bill 572 (Brownley) will strengthen efforts to end financial abuse of public funds in charter schools.  This bill will require charter schools to comply with conflict-of-interest restrictions applicable to traditional public schools.  Specifically, AB 572 requires charters to comply with:

1)  The Brown Act regarding open meetings;

2)  The California Public Records Act, granting the public access to documents prepared in the course of business

3)  Government Code Section 1090 which prohibits public officials from holding a financial interest in any contract made by them in their official capacity or by any body of which they are members; and

4)  The Political Reform Act of 1974, which requires disclosure of economic interests and prohibits public officials from participating in or attempting to influence a governmental decision in which they have a financial interest.

Please contact members of the Senate Education Committee and urge them to support legislation that would require charter schools to adopt and comply with a conflict-of-interest policy that is currently applicable to traditional public schools.  Charter schools are public schools, and as such, should do business in an open, transparent manner, free of conflicts of interest. 

CSBA Staff:  Brian Rivas, Sr. Legislative Advocate, brivas@csba.org or Marites Ares, Legislative Analyst, mares@csba.org

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

As a school board member, I urge you to support Assembly Bill 572 (Brownley), a measure that would require charter school board members to comply with conflict-of-interest policies that prohibit personal gain.

California's charter schools are funded with public taxpayer dollars. While most charter schools operate with the public's trust in mind, there have been instances in which charter school board members have benefitted financially from decisions made by their own board. Due to these financial improprieties, charter schools are forced to close, and school district governing boards are left to assess and repair the damage. These instances underscore the need for clarification of charter school conflict-of-interest laws.

AB 572 will strengthen efforts to end financial abuse of public funds in charter schools, provide transparency into the operations of charter schools, and renew the faith of parents and the community that their local charter school is acting in the best interest of students. This measure will require charter schools to comply with conflict-of-interest restrictions applicable to traditional public schools. Specifically, AB 572 requires charters to comply with:

1) The Brown Act regarding open meetings

2) The California Public Records Act, granting the public access to documents prepared in the course of business

3) Government Code Section 1090 which prohibits public officials from holding a financial interest in any contract made by them in their official capacity or by any body of which they are members

4) The Political Reform Act of 1974, which requires disclosure of economic interests and prohibits public officials from participating in or attempting to influence a governmental decision in which they have a financial interest.

Thank you for your consideration of this important matter. It is particularly important for charter schools and traditional public schools to be similarly situated under the law for the purpose of protecting public funds. I look forward to working with you to ensure parity in the conflict-of-interest laws.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
June 02, 2009