Compliance
School Accountability Report Card (SARC)
The California Department of Education requires that all California public schools, including Charter Schools, annually provide information about themselves to the community allowing the public to evaluate and compare schools for student achievement, environment, resources, and demographics.
Although there is great variation in the design of school report cards, they generally begin with a profile that provides background information about the school and its students. The profile usually summarizes the school's mission, goals, and accomplishments. State law requires that the SARC contain all of the following:
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Demographic data
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School safety and climate for learning information
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Academic data
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School completion rates
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Class sizes
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Teacher and staff information
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Curriculum and instruction descriptions
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Postsecondary preparation information
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Fiscal and expenditure data
In addition, NCLB requires that SARCs contain reports concerning the "adequate yearly progress" of students in achieving state academic achievement standards; Title 1 Program Improvement; graduation rates at the secondary level; and, starting with the SARCs to be published in 2004–05, the extent to which "highly qualified" teachers are teaching core academic subjects.
You can also download the SARCs as PDF files here:
Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP)
The Local Control and Accountability Plan or LCAP is a critical part of California’s new Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). It is a three-year, district-level plan that is updated annually. The plan describes the school district’s key goals for students as well as the specific actions (with expenditures) the district will take to achieve the goals and the means (metrics) used to measure progress.
The LCAP addresses the needs of all students, including specific student groups, and all districts must specifically address English learners, foster youth, and low-income students. In addition, the LCAP must address the state of California's eight priority areas:
- Providing all students access to fully credentialed teachers, instructional materials that align with state standards, and safe facilities.
- Implementation of California’s academic standards, including the Common Core State Standards in English language arts and math, Next Generation Science Standards, English language development, history-social science, visual and performing arts, health education and physical education standards.
- Parent involvement and participation, so the local community is engaged in the decision-making process and the educational programs of students.
- Improving student achievement and outcomes along multiple measures, including test scores, English proficiency and college and career preparedness.
- Supporting student engagement, including whether students attend school or are chronically absent.
- Highlighting school climate and connectedness through a variety of factors, such as suspension and expulsion rates and other locally identified means.
- Ensuring all students have access to classes that prepare them for college and careers, regardless of what school they attend or where they live.
- Measuring other important student outcomes related to required areas of study, including physical education and the arts. In addition to these eight areas, a district may also identify and incorporate in its plan goals related to its own local priorities.
In addition to these eight areas, a district may also identify and incorporate in its plan goals related to its own local priorities.
Title IX Statement
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”) is a federal law that was passed to ensure students and staff, regardless of their sex, are treated equally and fairly. Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, which includes sexual harassment, in any of the education programs or activities of the Lifeline Education Charter School (“Lifeline”). Specifically, Title IX provides that:
No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.
Who is the Title IX Coordinator for Lifeline?
Lifeline has designated the following individual as its Title IX Coordinator:
Brittany Lester
161 W. Victoria Street, Suite#200
Long Beach, CA 90805
(310) 885-1872
How may I file a complaint of discrimination under Title IX?
You may file a complaint of discrimination on the basis of sex, including sexual harassment, by contacting Lifeline’s Title IX Coordinator. A report of sexual harassment as defined under the Title IX regulations can be made to any Lifeline official.
Otherwise, a discrimination complaint may be filed with the Office for Civil Rights:
San Francisco Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
50 United Nations Plaza
Mail Box 1200, Room 1545
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 486-5555
United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights Complaint Form
United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights Complaint Assessment System
Is there a statute of limitations for filing an alleged incident of harassment or discrimination?
Consistent with Lifeline’s Uniform Complaint Procedures Policy (“UCP”), a complaint alleging unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying must be filed no later than six (6) months from the date when the alleged unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying occurred or the complainant first obtained knowledge of it. The time for filing may be extended by Lifeline for good cause upon written request from the complainant.
A report or complaint regarding sexual harassment as defined under the Title IX regulations is not subject to the six-month timeline in the UCP.
How are discrimination complaints investigated?
Complaints of sexual harassment filed with Lifeline are investigated in accordance with Lifeline’s Title IX Policy and Grievance Procedures. All other complaints of discrimination are investigated under the UCP.
For federal guidance on how complaints may be further pursued, please see the following link:
United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights
Where can I get more information on the rights of a pupil and the public and the responsibilities of the public school under Title IX?
The following Internet resources are available to find more information regarding rights and responsibilities under Title IX:
California Department of Education Office of Equal Opportunity
United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights
In addition, California law, like Title IX, prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex and affords individuals certain rights. You can access those rights here: Rights Afforded Under Education Code Section 221.8. Specifically, you have the right to (when applicable):
- Fair and equitable treatment and you shall not be discriminated against based on your sex.
- Be provided with an equitable opportunity to participate in all academic extracurricular activities, including athletics.
- Inquire of the athletic director of your school as to the athletic opportunities offered by the school.
- Apply for athletic scholarships.
- Receive equitable treatment and benefits in the provision of all of the following: (i) equipment and supplies; (ii) scheduling of games and practices; (iii) transportation and daily allowances; (iv) access to tutoring; (v) coaching; (vi) locker rooms; (vii) practice and competitive facilities; (viii) medical and training facilities and services; and (ix) publicity.
- Have access to a gender equity coordinator to answer questions regarding gender equity laws.
- Contact the State Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation to access information on gender equity laws.
- File a confidential discrimination complaint with the United States Office of Civil Rights or the State Department of Education if you believe you have been discriminated against or if you believe you have received unequal treatment on the basis of your sex.
- Pursue civil remedies if you have been discriminated against.
- Be protected against retaliation if you file a discrimination complaint.
Integrated Pest Management Plan
Pests are populations of living organism (animals, plants, or microorganism) that interfere with use of schools and other facilities for human purposes. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an approach that establishes a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical and chemical tools in a way that minimizes economic, health and environmental risks.
Math Placement Policy (Revised 2020-21)
The California Mathematics Placement Act of 2015 requires school districts that serve pupils entering grade nine and that have not already done so to adopt “a fair, objective, and transparent mathematics placement policy” before the beginning of the 2016–17 school year.
ESSER III PLAN
School districts, county offices of education, or charter schools, collectively known as LEAs, that receive Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds under the American Rescue Plan Act, referred to as ESSER III funds, are required to develop a plan for how they will use their ESSER III funds. In the plan, an LEA must explain how it intends to use its ESSER III funds to address students’ academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs, as well as any opportunity gaps that existed before, and were worsened by, the COVID-19 pandemic. An LEA may also use its ESSER III funds in other ways, as detailed in the Fiscal Requirements section of the Instructions. In developing the plan, the LEA has flexibility to include community input and/or actions included in other planning documents, such as the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), provided that the input and actions are relevant to the LEA’s Plan to support students.
SELPA Local Plan Certification
In California, every local education agency (LEA) is required to belong to a Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA). The SELPA is a consortium of LEAs responsible for the development of special education policies and procedures, distribution of federal and state special education funds, and providing a range of professional development pertaining to special education. With this support, the Charter SELPA’s partners continue to demonstrate the capacity to provide high-quality special education programs to their students.
