Report: Unequal Access
How Some California Charter Schools Illegally Restrict Enrollment
All across California, charter schools are implementing admissions policies that exclude students from enrolling. Like other public schools, charters must admit all students who wish to attend. By law, they may not discourage certain students from enrolling based on income, national origin, academic performance or other factors. These admission policies threaten to turn public schooling into a two-tier system where the students who need the most resources receive the fewest.
To realize charter schools’ promise of providing educational choice to all, the ACLU SoCal and Public Advocates released“Unequal Access: How Some California Charter Schools Illegal Restrict Enrollment,” a report that sheds light on exclusionary enrollment policies at 253 charter schools. See full list of charter schools cited.
These charter schools post enrollment policies or forms online that are clearly illegal or exclusionary. Other schools may also maintain similar prohibited policies that are hidden from the public view. The violations we found include:
- Exclusion Based on Academic Performance
- Discrimination against English Learners
- Pre-Enrollment Essays or Interviews
- Requirements that Discourage Undocumented Students
- Illegal Parent/Guardian Volunteer Requirements
Read the full report (.pdf)
Register-Pajaronian Charter schools accused of 'unequal access' - http://register-pajaronian.com/v2_news_articles.php
ACLU slams Fresno-area charter schools for being exclusionary | Fresno Bee - http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/education/article94039612.html
Big Education Ape: Some California charter schools discriminate in admissions, ACLU report says - LA Times - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/08/some-california-charter-schools.html
Big Education Ape: Report Shows How California Charter Schools Break the Law by Choosing Their Students | janresseger - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/08/report-shows-how-california-charter.html
Big Education Ape: Breaking News: ACLU finds many illegal policies in Charter Schools – Cloaking Inequity - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2016/08/breaking-news-aclu-finds-many-illegal.html
Learn more 
Charter Schools in Violation
See which California charter schools are in violation and how they implement exclusionary policies for enrollment.
Methodology
See the report methodology.
Charter Enrollment Complaint Form
Use this form to file a complaint regarding an exclusionary enrollment policy at a California charter school.
AB 1575 Complaint Form
Use this form to file a complaint regarding an illegal pupil fee. Learn more about AB