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Board tables decision on Big Sur Charter renewal, requests MOU and more data
Summary
After an extended public hearing and questions about demographics and special-education services, the Monterey Peninsula Unified board voted to table the Big Sur Charter School renewal petition and asked staff to return within the 90‑day window with a memorandum of understanding and additional demographic/fiscal information.
The Monterey Peninsula Unified School District board opened a public hearing on the renewal petition for Big Sur Charter School and, after more than an hour of testimony and trustee questions, voted to table action while staff and the charter negotiate an MOU and gather additional data.
Superintendent Dr. Diffenbaugh explained the legal context staff used in its recommendation: state law (AB 1507) narrows a district’s options when a charter is designated "high performing," leaving denial possible only for narrow findings such as fiscal or governance failures or evidence the school is not admitting students who wish to enroll. Staff recommended approval despite concerns the charter’s current demographics do not reflect the district’s broader population.
Amy, executive director of Big Sur Charter School, urged the board to approve the renewal and said the school would work to address demographic concerns. She told trustees the school serves about 100 students, plans to cap enrollment near 125, and currently has roughly 13–15% of students receiving special-education services and about 30% who are socioeconomically disadvantaged.
Trustees pressed for more specifics. Trustee comments focused on whether the charter’s enrollment patterns create continuity issues for students of color and whether the district can attach or negotiate conditions around recruitment and name change. Legal counsel told the board that the law generally does not allow a conditional renewal but that an MOU could be negotiated alongside approving the petition.
Dr. Lusk moved to table the petition and asked staff to return within the 90‑day statutory review window with an MOU and further information on continuity of enrollment, special-education supports, recruitment plans to address demographics, and fiscal/governance assurances. The motion was seconded and adopted by the board.
The board will revisit the renewal within the allowable statutory timeline after staff and the charter school work on the requested MOU and provide the additional data.
What’s next: Staff will attempt to negotiate an MOU with Big Sur Charter and return to the board with the requested demographic, special-education and fiscal details within the district’s review window.
