MPUSD board denies Big Sur Charter renewal, citing lack of diversity and recruitment plan

The Monterey Peninsula Unified School District Board of Education voted on June 9 to deny the renewal petition for Big Sur Charter School, citing staff findings that the charter had not produced an acceptable plan to recruit a more diverse student body or an enforceable memorandum of understanding (MOU) addressing the board’s concerns.

District staff told the board they had proposed an MOU to address three concerns raised at earlier meetings: changing the school’s name, an enrollment cap, and measures to increase socioeconomic diversity among students. Staff said they received a substantive response late in the posting period and that the charter’s proposed language did not commit to the recruitment or diversity outcomes the board requested.

Big Sur Charter’s legal counsel, Janelle Rulli, urged the board not to deny renewal, arguing the charter has been designated a high-performing school under state law and that statutory grounds for denial are limited to substantial fiscal or governance failures or evidence that the school is not serving pupils who wish to attend. Rulli said the charter was willing to continue negotiating and that denying renewal risks legal challenge and would leave Big Sur’s county petition as an alternative path.

Trustees who supported denial pointed to the district’s established approach with other charter schools and said authorizing a local charter without an agreed plan to address the board’s stated policy goals would be inconsistent. Trustee comments cited concerns that, after many years of operation, the charter had still not matched district enrollment demographics and that an enforceable recruitment commitment was necessary.

The board passed a motion to deny the renewal “due to lack of diversity and lack of a plan for recruitment of diversity as outlined in the staff report.” The roll call recorded four votes to deny, one abstention and one opposed. District counsel advised that the charter may appeal to the County Board of Education or pursue other legal remedies.

Next steps: District staff said they will document the board’s reasons in the record and follow legal counsel’s guidance about what notice and findings the district must provide. Big Sur Charter has the option to appeal to the county or pursue judicial review under the Education Code.