A local charter school and its county authorizer agreed to postpone a vote on the school’s petition renewal until Dec. 13, despite a staff recommendation for approval.
 We wanted to notify the board that the Voices staff and (the County s) charter school staff have tentatively agreed to an extension of the decision for the Voices renewal, said Interim County Superintendent Mary Ann Dewan at the opening of the Santa Clara County Office of Education s Nov. 15 board meeting. Dewan did not specify the reason for the postponement.
Voices College Bound Language Academy at Morgan Hill, which opened for the start of the 2015-16 school year and currently is in its first year at the former Silicon Valley Flex Academy building on Jarvis Drive, will now have its petition renewal hearing, along with a board vote, Dec. 13, according to SCCOE Chief Public Affairs Officer Peter Daniels.
County staff recommended the approval of Voices five-year renewal petition from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2023, but subject to the conditions specified in the Staff Analysis and Proposed Findings of Fact. Those stipulations, which were outlined in the staff analysis, will be addressed in the two parties Memorandum of Understanding, according to the county report.
County staff gave satisfactory marks for Voices in the criteria of having a sound educational program; being likely to successfully implement the program; and containing the required affirmations. Staff also found the local charter met the criteria for past performance of the school s academics, finances, and operation in evaluating the likelihood of future success, along with future plans for improvement, if any, the report states.
Staff noted that Voices had a reasonably comprehensive description in each of the 15 elements, but pointed out some deficiencies to be cleared up prior to signing the MOU. A charter petition must include documentation for 15 elements, including those covering its educational program, student assessment, finances, governance, employee qualifications, health and safety, racial and ethnic balance and admissions requirements. In its summary, staff wanted additional supportive documentation in some areas and also claimed Voices violated a compliance code by requiring a 24-hour notice requirement for site visitation.
Under Element One (Description of the Educational Program/Plan for Student Academic Achievement), county staff believes that this section of the Petition includes a reasonably comprehensive description, however, implementation of all the elements in the Petition, need additional support and practice.
Under Element Seven (Racial and Ethnic Balance), county staff states that Voices student demographics does not reflect that of Morgan Hill Unified School District. But the charter does reflect the Board s desire to provide opportunities for targeted demographic population to have access to choice programs, the report states.
Staff also pointed to a lack of insurance and indemnification provisions that are consistent with SCCOE standards, and (that) previous health and safety language was removed from the original petition which must be adjusted for the renewal, according to the analysis. The county requested Voices include background check and fingerprinting requirements, arrest notifications with Department of Justice and ??mandated (sexual abuse) reporter policies and procedures in the renewal petition.
However, county staff noted that any of their requests for additional materials, adjustments or clarifications will be addressed in a Memorandum of Understanding to be executed by February 15, 2018.
