ARTICLE 12. Charter Schools [17078.52. - 17078.66.]

Cal. Education Code - EDC 12.

in effect

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17078.52. Section 17078.52.

(a) There is hereby established the Charter School Facilities Program to provide funding to qualifying entities for the purpose of establishing school facilities for charter school pupils. (b) (1) The 2002 Charter School Facilities Account is hereby established within the 2002 State School Facilities Fund established pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 17070.40. The proceeds of bonds, as set forth in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 100620, shall be deposited into the 2002 Charter School Facilities Account for the purposes of this article. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, funds deposited into the account are hereby continuously appropriated for the purposes of this article. (2) The 2004 Charter School Facilities Account is hereby established within the 2004 State School Facilities Fund established pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 17070.40. The proceeds of bonds, as set forth in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 100820, if approved by the voters, shall be deposited into the 2004 Charter School Facilities Account for the purposes of this article. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, funds deposited into the account are hereby continuously appropriated for the purposes of this article. (3) The 2006 Charter School Facilities Account is hereby established within the 2006 State School Facilities Fund established pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 17070.40. The proceeds of bonds, as set forth in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 101012, if approved by the voters, shall be deposited into the 2006 Charter School Facilities Account for the purposes of this article. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, funds deposited into the account are hereby continuously appropriated for the purposes of this article. (4) The 2024 Charter School Facilities Account is hereby established within the 2024 State School Facilities Fund established pursuant to Section 17070.42. The proceeds of bonds, as set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 101412 and if approved by the voters at the November 5, 2024, statewide general election, shall be deposited into the 2024 Charter School Facilities Account for purposes of this article. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, funds deposited into the account are hereby continuously appropriated for purposes of this article. (c) As used in this article, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) “Authority” means the California School Finance Authority established pursuant to Section 17172. (2) “Account” means the pertinent account established under subdivision (b). (3) “Preliminary apportionment” means an apportionment made for eligible applicants under this article in advance of full compliance with all of the application requirements otherwise required for an apportionment pursuant to this chapter. The process for making preliminary apportionments under this article shall be substantially identical to the process established for critically overcrowded schools pursuant to Sections 17078.22 to 17078.30, inclusive. (4) “Financially sound” means a charter school that has demonstrated, over a period of time determined by the authority, but not less than 24 months immediately preceding the submission of the application, that it has operated as a financially capable concern in California, as measured by criteria established by the authority. A charter school that cannot demonstrate that it has been a financially capable concern for at least 24 months immediately preceding the submission of the application, due solely to not having operated as a charter school for at least 24 months, may meet this 24-month requirement if the charter school is managed by staff who have at least 24 months of documented experience, as measured by criteria established by the authority and the charter school has an educational plan, financial resources, facilities expertise, management expertise, and has been a financially capable concern for at least 24 months, as established by the authority. (d) The board shall, from time to time, transfer funds within the account to the California School Finance Authority Fund for the purposes of this article pursuant to the request of the authority as set forth in this article.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17078.53. Section 17078.53.

(a) The initial preliminary applications for projects to be funded pursuant to this article shall be submitted to the board by March 31, 2003. Thereafter, the board may establish subsequent application periods as needed. (b) Preliminary applications may be submitted by eligible applicants as set forth in this article by either of the following: (1) A school district on behalf of a charter school that is physically located within the geographical jurisdiction of the school district. (2) A charter school on its own behalf if the charter school has notified both the superintendent and the governing board of the school district in which it is physically located of its intent to do so in writing at least 30 days prior to submission of the preliminary application. (c) A preliminary application shall demonstrate either of the following: (1) That a charter petition for the school for which the application is submitted has been granted by the appropriate chartering entity prior to the application deadline determined by the board. (2) That an already existing charter has been amended to include the school for which the application is submitted and approved by the appropriate chartering entity prior to the deadline determined by the board. (d) A preliminary application shall include either of the following: (1) For a preliminary application submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b), the number of unhoused pupils determined pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 17071.75) that will be housed by the project for which the preliminary application has been submitted. (2) For a preliminary application submitted pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), a certification from the governing board of the district within which the charter school is physically located of the number of unhoused pupils for that district determined pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 17071.75) that will be housed by the project for which the preliminary application has been submitted. (e) Prior to submitting a preliminary application, the school district and charter school shall consider existing school district facilities in accordance with Section 47614. (f) The board, after consideration of the recommendations of the authority regarding whether a charter school is financially sound, shall approve the preliminary application and shall make the preliminary apportionment for funding pursuant to this article. (g) (1) The board shall establish a process to ensure that pupil attendance in a charter school that is physically located within the geographical jurisdiction of a school district is counted as per-pupil eligibility for that school district and to ensure that the same per-pupil attendance is not so counted for any other school district or other applicant under this chapter. (2) (A) Except as provided pursuant to subparagraph (B) and notwithstanding subdivision (b) of Section 17071.75, the number of pupils for which facilities are provided under this article shall not be included in the sum determined under subdivision (b) of Section 17071.75. (B) The number of unhoused pupils determined pursuant to subdivision (d) that will be housed by the project for which a preliminary application has been submitted shall be included in the sum determined under subdivision (b) of Section 17071.75. (h) The board shall establish a process to be used for release of funds for approved projects pursuant to this article. Notwithstanding Section 17072.30, the board may provide for the release of planning and site acquisition funds prior to the approval of the project by the Department of General Services pursuant to the Field Act, as defined in Section 17281.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17078.54. Section 17078.54.

(a) An eligible project under this article shall include funding, as permitted by this chapter, for new construction or rehabilitation of a school facility for charter school pupils, as set forth in this article. A project may include, but is not limited to, the cost of retrofitting an existing building for charter school purposes, purchasing a building, or retrofitting a building that has been purchased by the charter school, if those costs have not been previously funded under this chapter, but may not exceed the amounts set forth in subdivision (b). Existing school buildings made available by a school district that will be rehabilitated for the purposes of this article are not subject to Article 6 (commencing with Section 17073.10). An allocation of funds shall not be made for a school facility that is less than 15 years old. (b) The maximum amount of the funding pursuant to this article shall be determined by calculating the charter school’s per-pupil grant amount plus other allowable costs as set forth in this chapter. Funding shall be provided by the authority for new facility construction or rehabilitation as set forth in Section 17078.58. (c) To be funded under this article, a project shall comply with all of the following: (1) It shall meet all the requirements regarding public school construction, plan approvals, toxic substance review, site selection, and site approval, as would any noncharter school project of a school district under this chapter, including, but not limited to, regulations adopted by the State Architect pursuant to Section 17280.5 relating to the retrofitting of existing buildings, as applicable. (2) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, including, but not limited to paragraph (1), the board, after consulting with the relevant regulatory agencies, shall, to the extent feasible, adopt regulations establishing a process for projects to be subject to a streamlined method for obtaining regulatory approvals for all requirements described in paragraph (1), except for the requirements of the Field Act as defined in Section 17281 which shall be complied with in the same manner as any other project under this chapter. (3) The board shall fund only new construction to be physically located within the geographical jurisdiction of a school district. (d) Facilities funded pursuant to this article shall have a 50 percent local share matching obligation that may be paid by the applicant through lease payments in lieu of the matching share, or as otherwise set forth in this article, including, but not limited to, Section 17078.58. (e) The authority may charge its administrative costs against the respective 2002, 2004, or 2006 Charter School Facilities Account, or the amount described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 101122, which shall be subject to the approval of the Department of Finance and which may not exceed 2.5 percent of the account or amount.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17078.56. Section 17078.56.

(a) The board, in consultation with the authority, shall approve projects pursuant to this article as otherwise set forth in this chapter, and shall make preliminary apportionments only to financially sound applicants in accordance with all of the following criteria: (1) The board shall seek to ensure that, when considered as a whole, the applications approved pursuant to this article are fairly representative of the various geographical regions of the state. (2) The board shall seek to ensure that, when considered as a whole, the applications approved pursuant to this article are fairly representative of urban, rural, and suburban regions of the state. (3) The board shall seek to ensure that, when considered as a whole, the applications approved pursuant to this article are fairly representative of large, medium, and small charter schools throughout the state. (4) The board shall seek to ensure that, when considered as a whole, the applications approved pursuant to this article are fairly representative of the various grade levels of pupils served by charter school applicants throughout the state. (b) While ensuring that the requirements of subdivision (a) are met when considering all approved projects under this article as a whole, the board shall, within each factor of the criteria set forth in subdivision (a), give a preference to charter schools in overcrowded school districts, charter schools in low-income areas, charter schools operated by not-for-profit entities, and charter schools that utilize existing school district facilities.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17078.57. Section 17078.57.

(a) The authority, in consultation with the board, shall adopt regulations establishing uniform terms and conditions that shall apply equally to all projects for funding in accordance with Section 17078.58, including, but not limited to, all of the following: (1) The process for determining the manner in which the applicant will pay its local matching share, including the method for determining lease payments to be made in lieu of the local matching share. The regulations shall comply with all of the following criteria: (A) The payment process set forth in Section 17199.4 may be used. (B) The payment process shall permit lump-sum local matching payments and shall permit establishment of a schedule for lease payments to be made in lieu of the local matching share. (C) The lease payment schedule shall be calculated by amortizing one-half of the total approved project costs, minus lump-sum payments, over the entire payment period as set forth in Section 17078.58. (D) The payment schedule for payments in lieu of the local matching funds pursuant to this section shall be based upon payment, within a reasonable period of time not to exceed a 30-year period, of one-half of the total eligible project costs, and shall be calculated in a manner that is designed to result in full payment of that portion, together with interest thereon at a rate set by the authority. The interest rate shall be set using the lower of the following: (i) The rate paid on moneys in the Pooled Money Investment Account as of the date of disbursement of the funding. (ii) A rate equal to 50 percent of the interest rate paid by the state on the most recent sale of state general obligation bonds, and the interest rate shall be computed according to the true interest cost method. (E) Notwithstanding subparagraph (D), the authority shall not set the interest rate on a loan at a rate lower than 2 percent. Program participants that have locked in an interest rate before January 1, 2009, may reset their payment schedule based on the interest rate set pursuant to subparagraph (D) as of January 1, 2009. Program participants executing an agreement on and after January 1, 2009, shall have their interest rate set at the time the funding agreement is executed and shall not renegotiate interest rates without prior approval of the authority. (2) The method for determining whether a charter school is financially sound. In the case of a charter school chartered by a school district that is located outside of the school district that chartered it, the method developed by the authority shall include, but shall not be limited to, a site visit to the school facility currently being used by the charter school during hours when pupils are present and instruction is being provided. (3) (A) Security provisions, including, but not limited to, whether title to project facilities shall be held by the school district in which the facility is to be physically located, in trust, for the benefit of the state public school system, or by another entity as authorized pursuant to Section 17078.63. (B) The authority shall adopt a mechanism whereby a person or entity who provides a substantial contribution that is applied to the costs of the project in excess of the state share and the local matching share may be granted a security interest to be satisfied from the proceeds, if any, realized when the property is ultimately disposed of as set forth in paragraph (5) of subdivision (b) of Section 17078.62. (4) The method for integrating funding pursuant to this article with the general procedures of the authority pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 17180 for otherwise funding projects eligible for funding under this chapter, if appropriate. (b) The authority may adopt, amend, or repeal rules and regulations pursuant to this chapter as emergency regulations. The adoption, amendment, or repeal of these regulations is conclusively presumed to be necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or general welfare within the meaning of Section 11346.1 of the Government Code.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17078.58. Section 17078.58.

(a) Funding granted pursuant to this article may not exceed 100 percent of the total allowable project costs as determined by calculating double the per-pupil grant eligibility as set forth in Section 17072.10, and subdivision (e) of Section 17078.53, plus 100 percent of all other allowable construction project costs, as appropriate to the project, that would otherwise be available to school district projects as set forth in this chapter. Funding granted for the purposes of rehabilitating buildings under Section 17078.54 shall be limited to the costs necessary to comply with subdivision (c) of Section 17078.54, and shall not exceed the maximum costs that would otherwise be allowable for a new construction project funded under this article. (b) The local share equivalent shall be collected in the form of lease payments or otherwise as set forth in this article. (c) Lease payments in lieu of local share payments, and any other local share payments made pursuant to this article, shall be made to the board for deposit into the respective 2002, 2004, 2006, or 2024 Charter School Facilities Account. Funds deposited into the account pursuant to this section may be used by the board only for a purpose related to charter school facilities pursuant to this article. (d) When a preliminary apportionment under this article is converted to a final apportionment, any funds not needed for the final apportionment shall remain in the 2002, 2004, 2006, or 2024 Charter School Facilities Account for use by the board for any purpose related to charter school facilities pursuant to this article.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17078.62. Section 17078.62.

(a) As a first priority, the existing charter school shall be permitted to continue to use the facility until it is no longer needed by the charter school for charter school purposes. (b) If the charter school occupying a facility funded pursuant to this article ceases to utilize the facility for a charter school purpose, all of the following apply: (1) If the charter school is no longer using the facility because the school district in which the charter school is located has revoked or declined to renew the charter, the school district, as a necessary component of the first priority established in subdivision (a), may not immediately occupy the facility, but shall allow a reasonable time, not to exceed six months, for completion of the review process contemplated in Section 47607 or 47607.5. (2) As a second priority, any qualifying successor charter school shall be permitted to meet its facility needs by occupying the facility on equal terms as the prior charter school occupant, including, but not limited to, assumption of fee simple title to the facility, as described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 17078.63. (3) As a third priority, the school district in which the charter school is physically located may notify the authority and take possession and take title to the facility, if the title is not already held by the district, and make the facility available for continued use as a public school facility. (4) If the school district in which the charter school is physically located elects to take possession of a facility pursuant to paragraph (3), it shall pay the balance of the unpaid local matching share or demonstrate that it is willing and able to continue to make the lease payments in lieu of the local matching share on the same terms. However, the payments shall be reduced or eliminated, as appropriate, if the school district complies with all of the following: (A) It demonstrates that it would have been eligible for hardship funding under Article 8 (commencing with Section 17075.10) at the time that the application for funding the facility under this article was originally submitted. (B) It certifies to the board that it will utilize the facilities for public school purposes for a period of at least five years from the date that it occupies the facility. (5) (A) If the school district declines to take possession pursuant to paragraph (3), or if the facility is subsequently no longer needed for public school purposes, the school district shall dispose of the facilities in a manner otherwise applicable to the disposal of surplus public schoolsites. Any unpaid local matching share shall be paid from the net proceeds, if any, of the disposition and shall be deposited into the respective 2002, 2004, or 2006 Charter School Facilities Account. To the extent that funds remain from the proceeds of the disposition after repayment of the local matching share, any security interest granted to a person or entity pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 17078.57 shall be satisfied. Funds remaining from the proceeds after any security interest has been satisfied shall be paid to the school district in which the facility is located to be used for capital improvements in the school district. (B) If title to the facility is held by a charter school or a local governmental entity other than the school district, and the school district declines to dispose of the facility, the board shall dispose of the facility in accordance with the provisions that would otherwise apply to the disposal of surplus school property by the school district, including, but not limited to, Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 17385) of Part 10.5. The proceeds of the disposition shall be distributed in accordance with subparagraph (A). (6) If the lease payments in lieu of the local matching share are fully paid, the school district shall continue to hold title to the facility, in trust, for the benefit of the state public school system. The school district shall permit continued use of the facility for charter school purposes as long as the facility is needed for those purposes.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17078.63. Section 17078.63.

(a) Prior to the release of funds for an application submitted pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 17078.53 for site acquisition or new construction final apportionments, applicants shall provide one of the following: (1) Documentary evidence that the school district in which the facility is to be physically located holds title to the project facilities in trust for the benefit of the state public school system. (2) Documentary evidence that a local governmental entity, including, but not limited to, a county board of education, a city, a county, or a city and county, holds title to the project facilities in trust for the benefit of the state public school system, subject to both of the following conditions: (A) Consistent with the prohibition in Section 6 of Article IX of the California Constitution regarding governance of public schools, a city, county, city and county, or other local governmental entity not included within the public school system that holds title pursuant to this paragraph shall not exercise any control over the operation of the charter school. (B) The following shall be recorded in the chain of title for the property: (i) A restrictive covenant specifying that the facility shall be used only for public school purposes as authorized in the California Constitution and statute. (ii) A remainder interest to the school district in which the facility is physically located or, if the school district disclaims the interest to the facility, to the board. The remainder interest shall be triggered when the facility is no longer needed for charter school purposes and shall then be subject to paragraphs (2) to (6), inclusive, of subdivision (b) of Section 17078.62. (3) (A) A request that the charter school be authorized to hold fee simple title to the subject property in trust for the benefit of the state public school system, on which a lien shall be recorded in favor of the board for the total amount of funds allocated pursuant to this article, including any loan received in lieu of a local matching share pursuant to Section 17078.57. The charter school shall include with the request a statement outlining the reasons why ownership of the project facilities is not vested with an entity set forth in paragraph (1) or (2). Prior to releasing any project funds, the board shall make findings that the applicant has submitted all of the information required by this paragraph. (B) The following shall be recorded in the chain of title for the property: (i) A restrictive covenant specifying that the facility shall be used only for public school purposes as authorized in the California Constitution and statute. (ii) A remainder interest to the school district in which the facility is physically located or, if the school district disclaims the interest to the facility, to the board. The remainder interest shall be triggered when the facility is no longer needed for charter school purposes and shall then be subject to paragraphs (2) to (6), inclusive, of subdivision (b) of Section 17078.62. (b) A charter school may request a school district to transfer title to project facilities to an entity authorized by paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (a) if the school district entered into an agreement, prior to January 1, 2010, to hold title to those facilities. A school district that receives a request pursuant to this subdivision may transfer the title to the entity designated in the request pursuant to terms and conditions mutually agreed upon by the district and the charter school. (c) The board may adopt regulations to implement this section.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17078.64. Section 17078.64.

(a) In lieu of applying for funding under this article, a school district may elect to include facilities for a charter school that would be physically located within its geographical jurisdiction within its application for funding pursuant to the general provisions of this chapter, other than this article. However, the project would be outside the scope of this article, would not be subject to its provisions, and shall comply with this chapter in the same manner as any noncharter project. Any per-pupil eligibility that is used for that project shall not, also, support any project under this article. (b) Except for those provisions in which the authority is expressly required or authorized to adopt regulations pursuant to this article, the board in consultation with the authority shall adopt regulations to implement this article. The board may adopt, amend, or repeal rules and regulations pursuant to this article as emergency regulations. Until July 1, 2004, the adoption, amendment, or repeal of these regulations is conclusively presumed to be necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or general welfare within the meaning of Section 11346.1 of the Government Code. (c) This article is not applicable to projects funded with the proceeds of state general obligation bonds approved by the voters prior to January 1, 2002.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 17078.66. Section 17078.66.

The State Allocation Board and the California School Finance Authority shall jointly report to the Legislature by July 1, 2005, regarding all of the following: (a) The implementation of this article, including, but not limited to, a description of the projects funded pursuant to this article from the Kindergarten-University Public Education Facilities Bond Act of 2004. (b) A description of the process whereby the board provides funding for charter school facilities under provisions of this chapter other than this article. (c) Recommendations, if any, regarding statutory changes needed to facilitate and streamline the process described in subdivision (b).

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026