Charter Bylaws & Petitions

A charter school is a public school operated independently under a performance agreement with a chartering authority, such as a school district. The performance agreement spells out the school's education program, goals, and other features. A charter school is free from most regulations that apply to school districts. It usually is able to hire its own staff but can be closed for failure to meet its promises regarding student performance or for financial mismanagement.

Groups of educators, parents, or community members can start a charter school. Nonprofit and for-profit organizations, universities, or other agencies may operate these schools.

Sometimes a school community decides to turn its regular public school into a charter. These "conversion schools" make up about 30% of all charters in California. The other 70% - "start-up schools" - were started from scratch. In either case, the creation of a charter begins with a petition that must contain 16 specific elements, including a description of the school's structure, its expectations for student performance, the procedures for resolving disputes between the school and the chartering authority, and the procedures for closing the school. Petitioners must also describe the school's facilities, administrative services, auditing approach, and potential for lawsuits that would affect the school and district.

Granada Hills High School was converted to a charter school on July 1, 2003. The latest renewal is approved through June 30, 2024.

School boards are expected to grant the charter unless they make written findings that the petitioners have proposed an unsound education program, are demonstrably unlikely to implement the charter, or do not meet specific petition requirements. If a district denies a charter, petitioners can go to the county board of education. If the county board denies a charter request or an appeal, then petitioners can take their case to the State Board of Education.

Charter schools are approved for up to five years, with renewal generally required every five years. A charter can be revoked for:

• A material violation of the charter;
• Failure to meet or pursue the pupil performance outcomes described in the petition;
• Violation of generally accepted accounting standards of fiscal management; and
• Violations of the law.

However, unless the violation constitutes a severe and imminent threat to the health or safety of students, charter operators are given a chance to remedy the situation. In addition, the State Board of Education has the authority to revoke a charter if it finds fiscal mismanagement.

Charter schools are also held accountable for the performance of their students on statewide standards tests and are ranked according to the Academic Performance Index (API) with a few exceptions. Their students must also make adequate yearly progress (AYP), based on test scores, under the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).

Generally admission cannot be based on where a student lives. But when a regular school is converted to a charter (as in the case of GHCHS) it must give preference to students who live within the former attendance area.

Charter schools receive money on a per-pupil basis from the state and federal governments either directly or through their chartering authority. Like other schools, they receive extra funding for students who are English learners or from low-income families. They also have more flexibility in how they use many state categorical funds, which for regular schools are targeted for specific students or programs. Charter schools may also rely on independent fundraising, grants, and corporate sponsors for additional funds.

While a charter school is required to consult regularly with parents and teachers about its education program, it is generally not required to have any particular type of governing body or board. Effective January 2015 and reflected in the GHCHS Bylaws, the Governing Board composition shall consist of a minimum of seven (7) and not more than nine (9) voting Members:

• five (5) to seven (7) at large/community members   
• one (1) Parent/Guardian (non-interested)
• one (1) Retired GHCHS Teacher (non-interested)
• one (1) Administrator (non-voting member)
• one (1) Student (non-voting member)

Terms are served for two years. In addition, all stakeholders are included as voting members on three standing committees that develop policies for the school.