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Collaboration with Local Education Agency - School Board


After years of parallel activities, Antelope View Charter School and Center Unified School District entered into a collaborative relationship to forge a continuum of services for students. When children do not neatly fit into traditional models, charter schools can become an alternative that accomplishes the vision of the LEA while allowing children to march to the beat of that different drummer. Collaboration is the magic that transforms district and charter leadership into an alliance to meet the needs of the whole child, keeping students in school who might otherwise have dropped out or been expelled.


Goals of the LEA

  • Well educated students who leave high school ready to participate in the community
  • Standards-Based instruction
  • Retaining students in district
  • Positive contributions to API and AYP standing
  • Fiscally sound charter school
  • Legally compliant charter school
  • Positive public relations between charter school and community

Goals of the Charter School

  • Well educated students who leave high school ready to participate in a local and global community
  • Students who demonstrate academic proficiency in a standards-based rigorous learning environment
  • Socially capable students who demonstrate motivation to learn in a collaborative environment
  • Opportunity to accelerate, attend community college
  • Opportunity to improve academic performance
  • Opportunity to work while completing high school
  • Attracting students to school
  • Students who pass CAHSEE, perform well on STAR and local assessments
  • Highly qualified instructors and staff who are motivated to work at the school
  • Reliable facilities arrangement
  • Fiscally sound school operations
  • Legally compliant school operations
  • Positive public relations with LEA and community

Business Services Memorandum of Understanding


In consideration of the mutual covenants and promises set forth in this agreement, CUSD and AVCS agree as follows:


SECTION ONE


Communication and Coordination

  • 1. Single Staff Contact: CUSD agrees to provide a single staff contact to coordinate business services between CUSD and AVCS.
  • 2. Site Visitation: CUSD agrees to send a representative to visit the AVCS site to ensure compliance.

SECTION TWO


Financial Oversight and Collaboration


1. Financial Oversight Provided by CUSD:

  • a. CUSD agrees to provide financial oversight, including payroll services.
  • b. CUSD will make AVCS aware of fiscal timetables and reporting deadlines in writing by August 1st of each school year:
    • i. Ex. end of month, P1, P2, P3.
  • c. CUSD will serve as the fiscal agent for AVCS and will conduct all financial audits consistent with state accounting practices.
    • i. The reports will be available for review by the public.
    • ii. No later than December 31 of each calendar year, which is the deadline established by the state of California, all audit exceptions and/or deficiencies will be reserved to the satisfaction of the Board of Trustees and the District.
    • iii. Any disputes regarding the resolution of audit exceptions will be referred to the dispute resolution process found in the chart contained in this Memorandum of Understanding.

2. Dispute Resolution:

  • a. AVCS is considered a district school and is subject to all board policies unless specifically waived by the Governing Board. Furthermore, the Charter granted to AVCS has been extended to June 30, 2007 to accommodate multi-year funding from the State of California per SB740 regulations.
  • b. Dispute between AVCS and the Governing Board will be resolved through a collaborative effort facilitated by CUSD Superintendent and CUSD administration.
    • i. Amendments to the Memorandum of Understanding will be made through the School Site Council Advisory Board as defined in the Charter and approved by the Board of Trustees for CUSD.

3. Charter Revocation:

  • a. CUSD may revoke the AVCS Charter under the following conditions:
    • i. Failure to meet acceptable standards of fiscal management,
    • ii. Failure to make progress toward pupil outcomes outlined in the Charter,
    • iii. Committing a violation of the conditions, standards, or procedures outlined in this Memorandum of Understanding or the Charter approved by CUSD Board of Trustees (originally on August 2, 2000 and subsequently on August 21, 2002).
  • b. If either party is found unlawfully negligent of any statute in the State of California by way of misappropriation of funds, education code, or any other malfeasance, then this agreement is terminated.

4. Financial Oversight Facilitated by AVCS:

  • a. AVCS will provide all financial statements required by CUSD.
  • b. AVCS will utilize QSS software along with timetables established by CUSD to remain in compliance with all required deadlines in fiscal matters.
  • c. AVCS will utilize the same audit firm chosen by CUSD in order to maintain continuity within the district. Furthermore, AVCS will be billed for a portion of the audit prepared by the external auditors. The formula for this billing is based on the total cost of the audit divided by the total number of students in the district times the total number of students enrolled at AVCS averaged across P1, P2, and P3.

5. Fiscal Agreements:

  • a. AVCS commits the following financial obligations to CUSD in accordance with the California Education Code sections describing charter schools and agreement between the two entities.
    • i. 3% indirect district oversight of overall actual revenues of AVCS per the law for rent-free facilities (to be adjusted by law) including:
      • 1. Insurance (Schools Insurance Group)excluding additional insurance outlined in the health and safety section of this Memorandum of Understanding,
      • 2. Special Education Local Planning oversight and support as defined in Chapter Two of this Memorandum of Understanding,
      • 3. Legal oversight,
      • 4. District maintenance and technology support,
      • 5. Any other indirect services provided to schools within CUSD.
    • ii. Direct Costs including:
      • 1. Utilities,
      • 2. Business office and personnel department (salary + benefits) / (P2 Total District-Wide ADA) X (P2 Total Charter ADA)
      • 3. custodial services,
      • 4. Compensation to CUSD for AVCS students taking courses, using facilities, and participating in activities in CUSD (per student cost). Total Certificated Costs / Total CHS Students (CBEDS) / 8 sections.
      • 5. Fingerprinting and drug testing for new employee applicants through the Personnel Office.
  • b. CUSD agrees to allocate the funds for Average Daily Attendance (ADA) to AVCS for each enrolled student at the same rate that each CUSD school site is reimbursed for each enrolled student to provided teachers and program to students enrolled at AVCS.
  • c. CUSD agrees to allocate the funds for Average Daily Attendance (ADA) to AVCS for each student enrolled with an active IEP at the same rate that each CUSD school site is reimbursed for each student enrolled with an active IEP to provide special education teacher(s) and program to students enrolled at AVCS with an active IEP.
  • d. AVCS agrees to pay an annual lump sum to reimburse CUSD for per pupil encroachment (based on the P2 number of students enrolled in the Charter with an active IEP) so that CUSD can provide any Designated Instructional Services that are required by a student IEP to students enrolled at AVCS.
  • e. CUSD will provide AVCS with all charter information and monies with respect to the fiscal support of AVCS including but not limited to:
    • i. Block grant funding for charter schools,
    • ii. Categorical funding for charter schools.
  • f. AVCS will provide CUSD with all charter information pertinent to fiscal and oversight activities that are the responsibility of CUSD upon receipt of the information.
  • g. CUSD agrees to sponsor AVCS insurance needs.
    • i. It is the responsibility of CUSD to examine the liability of the Personalized Learning Program at AVCS to determine if additional coverage is required, then any new policies or additional costs will be the fiscal responsibility of AVCS.

6. Indemnification:

  • a. AVCS agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless CUSD, its board of trustees, officers, agents, and employees from and against all claims, demands, damages, costs, and expenses of whatever nature including court costs and attorney fees arising out of or resulting from active negligence of AVCS, its advisory board, officers, agents, and employees.
  • b. CUSD agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless AVCS, its advisory board, officers, agents, and employees from and against all claims, demands, damages, costs, and expenses of whatever nature including court costs and attorney fees arising out of or resulting from the active negligence of CUSD, its board of trustees, officers, agents, and employees.
  • c. It is understood that such indemnity shall survive the termination of this Agreement.