Bond Funds Ease Charter Schools’ Growing Pains

Camino Nuevo Charter Academy is bursting at the seams, with 1,200 students on three campuses near downtown Los Angeles, and a waiting list of more than 1,600. Now, thanks to nearly $11 million from a state school facilities bond measure, Camino Nuevo plans to expand to accommodate more students.

The school, which serves mostly low-income, minority families in the MacArthur Park and Mid-Wilshire neighborhoods, was among 28 charter schools that shared $277 million from Proposition 55, a state bond measure that was approved by voters last year.

Besides Camino Nuevo, 18 other Southern California charter schools won State Allocation Board approval this week for shares of the $12.3-billion bond measure; 12 are in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

The money is intended to allow the independently run but publicly funded schools to expand or build campuses.

Facilities problems are among the main obstacles to opening and expanding charters, movement leaders say. Many rent space in churches or vacant commercial buildings while trying to raise money for permanent campuses.

Green Dot Public Schools, whose founder, Steve Barr, is a politically connected pioneer in opening charters in crowded, low-income neighborhoods, received more than $60 million for high school campuses in Inglewood, Boyle Heights, Venice, South Los Angeles and downtown.

Vaughn Elementary Language Academy, which is part of one of the earliest charter campuses in Los Angeles, received $8.3 million. Another pioneering charter, the Accelerated School in South Los Angeles, was awarded $11.8 million for its elementary campus.

A high school planned at the Port of Los Angeles won approval for $16.3 million, while Environmental Charter High School in Lawndale will get almost $14 million.

Although charters make up a fraction of California’s public schools, their number is growing rapidly, and the state’s 13-year-old charter school movement has found favor with many business leaders and their education-oriented foundations.

Former banking executive William E.B. Siart formed a nonprofit several years ago to help the schools with business, administrative and other tasks. The organization, ExED, helped several charters, including Camino Nuevo, write successful applications for the bond funds. (Schools have four years to formulate and act on specific plans for the money, which will be held in trust until needed.)

“The bond money means these charters can create a good facility without having to dip into operating funds,” said Anita Landecker, ExED’s executive director. “It means they can put more money into their classrooms.... It helps put them on a par with traditional public schools,” including the many Los Angeles Unified campuses that are opening as part of a $14-billion building program.

Proposition 55 is the second state school facilities bond measure to provide money to charter schools. Almost $100 million from Proposition 47, a $13-billion state bond measure in 2002, was earmarked for them.

Ana F. Ponce, Camino Nuevo’s executive director, said the school’s board will use its bond money to make room for some students on its long waiting list.

“Our board will decide the best way to do that,” Ponce said, noting that the school could build another campus or renovate and expand rented facilities. Camino Nuevo leaders want to keep each campus small -- 500 or fewer students -- and ensure that the schools are within walking distance for most families.

“It’s really heartbreaking to tell parents you have no place for them; they are so desperate,” said Ponce, who added that families want small, safe alternatives to the area’s large, crowded campuses.

As required by state law, charter students are chosen by lottery if there are more applicants than the school can accommodate. Camino Nuevo lacks room at its high school to enroll all its current eighth-graders.

“The [bond money] will help us take more [students], and that is a big relief,” Ponce said.