Board reviews charter school dashboard; trustees raise concerns about large Cal Ops enrollment and funding flows

The Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees reviewed the state’s 2024 charter school dashboard on Jan. 15 and heard presentations from charter leaders about academic programs, growth and student support. Trustees spent extended time asking staff how large-enrollment online charters affect the district’s finances and oversight obligations.

Assistant Superintendent Greg Merwin introduced the dashboard overview and Carrie Johnson outlined indicators for eight charter schools located in the district’s boundaries. “DAS is a dashboard alternative school status… they tend to serve students who are behind on credits or credit deficient,” Johnson explained when describing Opportunities for Learning and Union High School as examples.

Two charter representatives addressed the board: Dr. Julie Beddoeschubert, principal of Orange County Academy of Sciences and Arts (Ocasa) Elementary, described Ocasa’s “English language arts and mathematics scores are in the blue” and credited strong instructional practice and leadership. Jessica Newbern, director of school development at Ocasa College Prep, said the small senior class was on track with college acceptances and highlighted individualized mentoring and Project Lead The Way courses.

Trustee discussion shifted to California Online Public Schools (Cal Ops), a large independent-study/online charter. Trustee Jones noted Cal Ops lists about 5,189 students overall with 170 in-district students and asked how funding flows for out-of-district enrollments. Deputy Superintendent Clark Hampton explained the fiscal mechanism: Cal Ops receives in‑lieu property taxes for its total enrollment (about $45.7 million noted at the meeting) and the state backfills the district with state aid for students who live outside Capistrano Unified. Hampton warned that reliance on state backfill increases a district’s exposure to state revenue volatility: “If there was a huge state calamity and there was massive budget cuts, we would have to absorb $45.7 million more in cuts that we wouldn’t have to have cut because we’re giving away local tax dollars and getting back state aid,” he said.

Trustees also asked about chronic absenteeism and how independent-study attendance is recorded. Merwin said attendance for independent study can be based on work product and weekly check-ins; staff committed to follow up with Cal Ops for details on their attendance and engagement processes.

Why this matters: the dashboard is used by the state to categorize charter schools for oversight and renewal. Trustees identified a policy issue: when large online charters enroll many students who live outside the district, local property tax dollars flow to the charter and the district receives state aid instead—reducing the district’s insulation from state funding volatility.

Next steps: staff said the full dashboard presentation and supporting artifacts will be posted on the district website via the board agenda link. Trustees requested follow-up information from Cal Ops on attendance accounting and indicated they want ongoing charter oversight visits (staff noted routine oversight visits are performed).