Orange School Nears Charter Status
The Orange Unified School District Board of Education has unanimously approved El Rancho Middle School’s petition to become a charter school.
The state must still review the application, but if approved, El Rancho, in Anaheim Hills, will become the second school in the district to gain its autonomy.
In 1994, the board approved charter status for Santiago Charter School, which became the first charter school in Orange County.
John Besta, principal of the 1,000-student El Rancho, said his staff wanted more control over resources to give special attention to students, some of the best-performing in the district.
“The district has strong remedial programs for low-performing students,” Besta said, “but not much in the way of accelerated programs.”
Under a 1992 state law, charter schools, governed by parents, teachers and administrators, are free to develop their own curricula and manage their own finances.
The Orange board of trustees approved the El Rancho charter during its regular meeting Nov. 1.
If the application is approved by the state, the school will begin operating independently next school year.
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