County Office Of Education Denies Wildomar Charter School Proposal

The Riverside County Office of Education shot down a proposal Wednesday to create a second charter school in Wildomar, opening the door to a likely appeal to Sacramento by proponents this summer.

Wednesday’s rejection is the second denial of the Manzanita Academy of Science and Cultural Arts charter proposal, which is patterned after Wildomar’s existing K-6 Sycamore Academy of Science and Cultural Arts. Proponents failed to gain Lake Elsinore Unified School District’s sponsorship for the Manzanita charter Nov. 30, prompting this week’s appeal.

In recommending denial, county schools staff echoed virtually the same objections the Lake Elsinore governing board raised last year, including questionable academic performance at Sycamore. Staff challenged Manzanita’s proposal as inconsistent with sound educational practices.

Charter schools operate under the California Education Code and must be sponsored by a local school district, county board of education or the state Board of Education. They typically are established by teachers and parents as an alternative to public-school instruction. They can receive federal, state and local funding but not charge any tuition.

Patti Crawford, administrator of Administrative Services for the county schools office, outlined various examples of the petition not adequately addressing state criteria for charter-school approval, particularly details about Manzanita’s proposed educational program, services and governance.

According to the county staff’s findings, the proposal also failed to identify specific facilities to house the K-8 program.

“Furthermore, because no facility has been identified, (the) Riverside County Office of Education cannot determine whether the proposed facility is safe and appropriate for K-8 instruction,” the staff report said.

The report also noted that county staff shared Lake Elsinore Unified School District's concerns that Manzanita proponents were unlikely to successfully implement the proposed program.

County school officials additionally questioned whether the Manzanita Academy was intended to benefit mainly Lake Elsinore Unified School District teachers and their own children (as a publicly funded quasi private school).

Appearing before the county board Wednesday was Manzanita’s key proponent Barbara Wilson, a teacher at Sycamore. Lake Elsinore Unified School District officials also were on hand to argue against the county schools office taking on the responsibility for Manzanita.

Wilson told the county board there have been no significant changes made to the proposal since the district's denial.

Following Wednesday’s action, Wilson told reporters she anticipated the rejection and expects to take the matter up on appeal to the state. A decision by the California Board of Education could come sometime this fall, she said, possibly allowing for the charter to move forward in 2012.

If the state rejects the idea, however, proponents may start over by submitting a new proposal to the district, she said.

“I’m fairly confident we’ll be here many more times,” Wilson told the board.  “There is a need for charter schools in Riverside County.”

George Landon, assistant superintendent of fiscal support services for Lake Elsinore Unified, said earlier that his district stands to lose nearly $1.4 million in state funding if 300 students leave to attend Manzanita. The district also would lose about 22 teachers, he said.

However, Landon emphasized that academic performance and lack of details about how the proposed charter school will serve seventh- and eighth-graders were the primary reasons for rejection -- not finances.

Wilson, meanwhile, said the outcome was all about the money.