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Board renews charters for San Jose Conservation Corps and ACE for five years
Summary
The East Side Union High School District approved five‑year renewals for San Jose Conservation Corps Charter School and ACE Charter High School, with staff noting nonmaterial follow-ups and one material governance change to be brought back.
The East Side Union High School District board voted Feb. 13 to renew two charter schools — San Jose Conservation Corps Charter School and ACE Charter High School — for five-year terms beginning July 1, 2025.
Staff presentation and legal framework: Kirsten King, Director of Assessment, Accountability and Charter School Oversight, and Philip Gideon, coordinator of charter oversight, explained the review timeline and legal standards under Education Code and AB 1505’s tiered renewal system. Both schools qualified for the California “dashboard alternative school” or middle-performance paths discussed under state law and were reviewed on academics, governance, finances, and local measures.
San Jose Conservation Corps: Staff recommended approval for a five‑year renewal for San Jose Conservation Corps Charter School, subject to the district not approving a material governance change submitted with the petition. Staff said the petition met eligibility requirements for a DOS (dashboard alternative school) renewal, listed some nonmaterial items (verified data choice and measurable student outcomes to be clarified), and said the petitioner agreed to work with the district on the remaining items.
Dorsey Moore, chief executive officer of the San Jose Conservation Corps Charter School, testified that the school concurred with staff findings and would collaborate on corrections. The board moved to approve the renewal; Trustee Chavez moved, Trustee Herrera seconded, and the board approved the renewal by voice vote; the student board representative said, “I approve.” The board recorded the motion as passed unanimously.
ACE Charter High School: Staff likewise recommended a five‑year renewal for ACE Charter High School after a multi‑department review. Staff flagged several oversight items to monitor — teacher credentialing (state teacher-credential data showed 53% fully credentialed in 2023), principal credential wording issues, and financial deficit‑spending trends in 2022–23 and 2023–24 that will be monitored. ACE representatives said they had revised or agreed to correct the petition items. Board members praised ACE’s student outcomes, including college-acceptance rates highlighted by ACE board president Eric Gonzales.
Motion and vote: Trustee Herrera moved to approve ACE’s five‑year renewal, Trustee Chavez seconded, and the board approved the renewal by voice vote. The public hearing for both renewals closed after limited public testimony and the district’s call for speakers.
Why it matters: Charter renewals require the authorizer to determine whether a petitioner is “demonstrably likely to successfully implement” the program, including financial stability, governance, and student outcomes. The renewals keep both schools authorized by East Side through 06/30/2030; staff will continue routine oversight and require a separate approval for a material governance revision that one petitioner submitted.
Ending: The board’s approvals were accompanied by staff commitments to monitor the flagged items — local measures for DOS schools, consistent verified assessments, credentialing and financial health — and to bring a separate item to the board if/when the material governance change for San Jose Conservation Corps returns for consideration.
