Oppose CA Education Bill AB 84

This post is for my California followers.

A bill, AB 84, is coming up for vote before the California Assembly Education Committee and will be heard on April 30. There are two components to this bill. First, is a set of fiscal oversight rules of charter schools by district superintends. This part I agree with. However, there is a second component that is troubling. The bill would also require that all educational services provided to charter and homeschool students must come from someone with a CA teaching credential in order to be funded.

So, a home school kid who gets PE by taking a karate class could not use funds for that class. Nor for art classes offered by local artists. Etc. In addition, someone certified in the Orton-Gillingham technique for teaching reading to dyslexic children would not be a covered service if that person did not also have a CA teaching credential. Now, we all know that one of the reasons many parents shift to homeschool is because most school districts do not have staff trained in many of the best practices for special education.

I do not like the fact that charter schools and homeschooling siphons funding for public schools. However, until we fix the public schools systems such that all children can access a Free and Ambitiously Appropriate Public Education, we need parents to have the ability to find and fund community services that meet their child’s needs.

Here is how to send a letter tot he CA Education committee:

Go to this site: CA legislation Position Letter Portal

Take a moment to set up an account. Enter the Bill number: AB 84. The bill should come up. Click appose. Write in why or cut and paste this letter into that space:

Re: Opposition to AB 84

Dear Assembly Education Committee Memebers,

I am writing to express my strong opposition to Assembly Bill 84, which would severely limit the ability of nonclassroom-based charter schools to offer valuable educational opportunities by requiring all instructional services to be provided exclusively by credentialed educators.

Students enrolled in nonclassroom-based charter schools benefit greatly from hands-on learning opportunities offered by professionals and specialists in fields such as music, art, technology, agriculture, and trades. While our programs are delivered by highly qualified and experienced experts, many of these instructors do not hold traditional teaching credentials. Assembly Bill 84 would no longer allow this.

Importantly, all educational opportunities offered to students through our collaboration are approved and closely overseen by certificated teachers employed by the charter school. These credentialed teachers maintain ultimate responsibility for curriculum approval, educational quality, and student progress assessment, ensuring alignment with state educational standards.

Removing the ability for students to participate in programs offered by skilled community professionals, simply because these individuals lack a traditional credential, is unnecessarily restrictive and diminishes the richness and diversity of the students educational experiences. Additionally, it undermines partnerships that foster meaningful connections between students and their local communities.

Furthermore, this provision is unfairly restrictive to charter school students, as local school districts regularly partner with community professionals to provide real-world experiences for their students without requiring traditional teaching credentials. AB 84 thus creates an inequitable standard, disadvantaging students who have chosen charter schools for their education.

Community-based learning provides immense educational and social-emotional benefits, cultivating practical skills, civic responsibility, and deeper engagement within the community. These programs not only help students develop into well-rounded citizens but also significantly contribute to local economies by supporting businesses like ours.

I urge you to oppose AB 84 and preserve the vital community partnerships that significantly enrich the educational landscape for our students.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Let’s keep speaking up for the educational needs of all our children!

I’m working on a book about special education and seeking families, teachers, and school professionals with stories to tell. If you’ve been through this struggle, I’d love to hear from you. Everything will, of course, be confidential. You can reach me at: 241kcawley@gmail.com

You can also follow me and read previous essays on my free Substack site: Kathleen Cawley for Navigating Parenthood or on Medium.