The Sixth Appellate District of the California Court of Appeals Thursday sided with Bullis Charter School. It overturned a lower court’s ruling by stating that “the (Los Altos School) District offer of facilities for the 2009-10 school year did not comply with Proposition 39 or its implementing regulations.”
The court found that the Los Altos School District, in its initial facilities offer to Bullis, “excluded from consideration over one million square feet of collective non-classroom space of the comparison group schools.”
The charter school filed suit against the school district in June 2009, requesting that the court evaluate whether the district has fulfilled its legal obligation in providing facilities for the charter school. Proposition 39, passed in the 2000 election, mandates that districts must provide “reasonably equivalent space” to that of district students to charter school students who reside within district boundaries.
The charter school appealed the decision in November 2010, after the Santa Clara County Superior Court ruled in favor of the school district. The appellate court heard arguments Oct. 18.
For more information, visit www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/documents/H035195.pdf. For local reactions and future action of both groups, see the Nov. 2 edition of the Town Crier.
