East Side Union trustees issue notices of violation to Escuela Popular; 30-day cure period set

The East Side Union High School District Board of Trustees voted Oct. 16 to issue notices of violation to two charter campuses operated by Escuela Popular, setting a 30-day cure period that ends Nov. 17, 2025, for the schools to supply documentation that district staff says is required under state law.

District staff told the board the notice of violation is a formal next step under the district's memorandum of understanding with charter schools after a sequence of communications beginning in early 2025. Staff said an analysis of the charter's student information system taken Sept. 18 found that, of roughly 53 instructional personnel identified in the system, a substantial share had no matching credential or English-learner (EL) authorization visible on the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) website. As a result, staff recommended issuing the notice under Education Code section 47607 and giving the charter a defined period to cure or refute the allegations.

Why it matters: The district's role as a charter authorizer requires it to ensure schools it authorizes operate in compliance with law and with their charters. Staff said the district has used a graduated oversight process (notice of concern, notice of deficiency, charter probation), and that issuance of a notice of violation is warranted because prior steps did not resolve the credentialing questions.

District staff told the board they used public declarations of need, personnel records and the CTC public lookup to compare assigned classroom responsibilities with the credentials on record. The staff presentation included a timeline of prior notices and cited state rules that require charter teachers to hold the CTC certificate, permit or other document required for the assignment (citing Education Code 47605(l)(1)). The district recommended the board adopt a remedy period ending Nov. 17 and said staff would analyze any materials Escuela Popular provided during that window and return to the board with a recommendation; staff said a subsequent step could be a notice of intent to revoke if the district's concerns remained.

Escuela Popular's response: Escuela Popular's counsel, Jerry Simmons of Young Minney & Corr, told the board the school had assembled binders for trustees and district staff containing credentials, permits or pending-certification documentation for every teacher. "But what I'm pleased to tell you tonight is that as of tonight, we believe every single teacher in the school has a credential, certificate, or permit entitling them to teach," Simmons said at the meeting. Counsel asked the district to meet with both sides' counsel to review the documents teacher-by-teacher and to use the remainder of the cure period to resolve disputed cases.

Escuela Popular attorney Ellen Doty summarized the controlling law and the role of temporary county certificates and other authorization documents while credential applications are pending. She told the board she had reviewed the materials as of Oct. 15'16 and concluded the assignments complied with Education Code section 47605(l)(1) as of Oct. 16.

Numbers and evidence: The two sites operate under one nonprofit authorizer; district staff said its Sept. 18 review identified 53 assigned instructional staff and highlighted a set of names for which CTC evidence was not located at that snapshot. Escuela Popular representatives said their current roster is 54 teachers overall and provided binders they said include documentation for all assigned teachers. Counsel and district staff agreed the data changed between Sept. 18 and Oct. 16 as emergency permits, temporary county certificates and credential applications were processed; the parties said a fast, document-by-document review would be needed to resolve remaining disputes.

Public comment: More than a dozen teachers, alumni, parents and community members spoke during the public comment period. Many described Escuela Popular as a bilingual, community-based program with "homegrown" teachers who are working through credential programs. Speakers urged the board to allow the school time to document compliance and to avoid punitive steps that would disrupt students.

Board action and next steps: Trustees voted to issue the notices of violation and to set Nov. 17, 2025 as the end of the statutory cure period. The board's motion carried and staff said it will examine any materials submitted by the cure deadline and report back within the statutory timeline (staff noted up to 60 days to analyze the cure materials and to return a recommendation). If staff finds the documented response inadequate, the next formal step can be a notice of intent to revoke the charter.

What the notices say (staff summary): The notices identify alleged violations tied to teacher credentialing and lack of EL authorizations for certain assignments, the grounds for potential revocation, and the evidence relied upon in the district's determination. The district asked for documentation or refutation specific to each alleged violation and for evidence that any emergency permits or temporary certificates were properly used and not extended beyond legal limits.

What to watch for: Whether Escuela Popular's Nov. 17 submission resolves the district's concerns; whether staff recommends revocation, or whether the parties reach a teacher-by-teacher agreement that can be documented and monitored. The board and district staff emphasized that issuance of a notice of violation is a procedural step and not an immediate revocation; it creates a documented deadline for the charter to cure or refute the district's findings.

Ending note: The meeting produced a voluminous public record in the binders and in the district's packet. Trustees said they were sympathetic to the school's mission and community role while also emphasizing the district's obligation to ensure compliance with state credentialing law.