The CTA advocate's letter on AB 1172 helped convince lawmakers the measure was worth approving.

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) 12 January 2012 – The Assembly Education Committee has approved a CTA-sponsored measure designed to give local school boards the power to reject the authorization of a new charter school when it will have a negative fiscal effect on local schools.

The measure, AB 1172 by Assembly Member Tony Mendoza (D-Los Angeles), secure the committee’s approval on a 7-4 party line vote.

The bill is supported by United Teachers Los Angeles, the California Federation of Teachers/AFT/AFL-CIO, and the California School Boards Association.

Legislators found compelling arguments made by CTA advocates, including the fact that in the current hard fiscal times, authorization of another charter school within a district’s
borders could exacerbate an already difficult situation.  Statewide, schools have lost more than $20 billion over the past three years, and the governor’s new budget proposal would
pare another $4.8 billion from public education if voters reject a pending tax
initiative this November.

AB 1172 is one of several measures CTA is backing to increase fiscal and scholastic accountability at the state’s charter schools.

For more information about the bill, see the bill analysis posted on the legislature’s web page: ab1172analysis