RE: SUNRIDGE SCHOOL - IMPORTANT ADDED INFO...

A NOTE FROM MARK RICE, DIRECTOR SUNRIDGE SCHOOL

We've received more information about SB 1263 and its potential impact on SunRidge.  Copied below is a letter I wrote today to the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Assembly Education Committee.  Please feel free to copy and use whatever portions of this letter you'd like to use in your own communication to your local assembly person (you could also write a letter to the Education Committee Chair, see address below).

We need to get their attention before the June 25 committee hearing, as they probably have no idea that this legislative amendment could impact a school in our unusual circumstances so significantly.  

Good idea to CC the following officials - 

*Honorable Kristin Olsen, Vice-Chair, Education Committee (at same address above)

*Marc Levine, Assembly member

*Senator Noreen Evans

This just in:  Just received an email from a Sunridge parent with a quicker way to contact Assembly Education committee members.  Given the short time line to get them alerted this will be helpful. 

http://aedn.assembly.ca.gov/membersstaff

Follow the 'contact' links next to the people you want to send messages to.

Thanks for your efforts!



The Honorable Joan Buchanan
Chair, Assembly Education Committee
1020 N Street, Room 159
Sacramento, CA
95814

Dear Chairwoman Buchanan:

I am writing to express my strong opposition to SB 1263 (Pavley) related to charter school locations.

SB 1263 would remove the current allowance available to charter schools to place one school site outside of its authorizing district under extenuating circumstances.  Removing this allowance would have a devastating impact on our K-8 school, as we could not find facilities in our own small district and found it necessary to move most of our school to a nearby location in an adjoining district.  That adjoining district had a vacant campus at the time and their school board was very happy to lease the school site to us.

Legislation eliminating this option for us would mean we have no place to locate our 12 year-old school, leaving 250+ students and families, and 25 employees, without any other option for school facilities.  Clearly, SB 1263 at minimum needs to be amended so that it does not cause this kind of unintended negative impact on school children and their parents. 

I ask that you do whatever you can to ensure that SB 1263 is not passed in its current form, and that better ways are found to address whatever local problem this legislation was intended to address.

Sincerely,

(your name)