LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION ANNUAL PERFORMANCE-BASED OVERSIGHT VISIT REPORT 2015-2016 SCHOOL YEAR FOR EL CAMINO REAL CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL - 8617 Name and Location Code of Charter School LAUSD Vision Every student will receive a quality education in a safe, caring environment, and will be college-prepared and career-ready. CSD Mission The LAUSD Charter Schools Division (CSD) fosters high quality educational opportunities for all students in the greater Los Angeles community through exemplary charter public school authorizing, oversight, and sharing of promising practices so that all students maximize their potential. CSD Core Values We believe that our success depends on: • Making decisions that put the interests of students first. • Serving with high expectations, integrity, and commitment. • Employing authentic, responsive, and effective leadership and teamwork. • Adapting as a learning organization. • Building a healthy workplace culture where high performance and creativity thrive. • Developing productive relationships with charter public school partners and all stakeholders. FORM REV. 05/26/15 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 Charter School Name: El Camino Real Charter High School Location Code: 8617 Fax: Current Address: City: ZIP Code: Phone: 5440 Valley Circle Blvd Woodland Hills CA 818 595-7500 Current Term of Charter: LAUSD Board District: LAUSD District: July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2016 3 Northwest Number of Students Currently Enrolled: Enrollment Capacity Per Charter: Grades Currently Served: Grades To Be Served Per Charter: 3,856 3,600 9-12 9-12 Total Number of Staff Members: 267 Charter School’s Leadership Team Members: Charter School’s Contact for Special Education: CSD Assigned Administrator: Certificated: 158 Classified: 109 Dave Fehte, Executive Director; Dean Bennett, Yvonne Halski, Lisa Ring, and David Hussey, Assistant Principals Wendy Treuhaft, AP Student Support Services Aida Tatiossian CSD Fiscal Services Manager: Lourdes Echavarria Other School/CSD Team Members: Yolanda Jordan and Ila Press Oversight Visit Date: 09-22-15 and 09-29-15 Fiscal Review Date (if different): 09-29-15 Is school located on a District facility? If so, please indicate the applicable program (e.g. Prop 39, PSC, conversion, etc.): Yes LAUSD Co-Location Campus (if applicable): n/a SUMMARY OF RATINGS (4)=Accomplished (3)=Proficient (2)=Developing (1)=Unsatisfactory FORM REV. 05/26/15 Governance Student Achievement and Educational Performance Organizational Management, Programs, and Operations Fiscal Operations 3 4 4 1 Page 2 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 CHARTER RENEWAL CRITERIA In accordance with Education Code §§ 47605 and 47607, in order to renew a charter, the District must determine whether the charter school has met the statutory requirements. Pursuant to the requirements of SB 1290, the District “shall consider increases in pupil academic achievement for all groups of pupils served by the charter school as the most important factor in determining whether to grant a charter renewal.” Ed. Code § 47607(a)(3)(A). RENEWAL ELIGIBILITY: To be eligible for renewal, the school must meet the minimum statutory criteria for renewal set forth in Ed. Code § 47607(b). Specifically, schools seeking to renew in 2015-2016 must meet at least 2012 2013 one of the following minimum criteria: NO SCHOOL HAS NOT MET Criterion 1: Attained 2013 Growth API Targets, both school wide and for all numerically significant subgroups. Criterion 2: Ranked in deciles 4 to 10 on Statewide Ranks (CDE) in both 2012 and 2013. Criterion 3: Ranked in deciles 4 to 10 on Similar Schools Ranks (CDE) in both 2012 and 2013. THIS REQUIREMENT YES SCHOOL HAS MET YES SCHOOL HAS MET THIS REQUIREMENT THIS REQUIREMENT YES SCHOOL HAS MET YES SCHOOL HAS MET THIS REQUIREMENT THIS REQUIREMENT Criterion 4: (A) The entity that granted the charter determines that the academic performance of the charter school is at least equal to the academic performance of the public schools that the charter school pupils would otherwise have been required to attend, as well as the academic performance of the schools in the school District in which the charter school is located, taking into account the composition of the pupil population that is served at the charter school. (B) The determination made pursuant to this paragraph shall be based upon all of the following: (i) Documented and clear and convincing data. (ii) Pupil achievement data from assessments, including, but not limited to, the Standardized Testing and Reporting Program established by Article 4 (commencing with Section 60640) for demographically similar pupil populations in the comparison schools. (iii) Information submitted by the charter school. NOTE: If a charter school anticipates it will be seeking to demonstrate renewal eligibility under section 47607(b)(4), it is important that the charter school works collaboratively with the assigned CSD administrator to identify and share appropriate sources of data and other evidence relevant to making this determination. RENEWAL RECOMMENDATION: Once a charter school is determined to be eligible for renewal under § 47607(b), the school must submit a renewal petition application that, upon review, is determined to be educationally sound, reasonably comprehensive, and demonstrably likely to be successfully implemented. Ed. Code §§ 47607(a); 47605(b). The District “shall consider the past performance of the school’s academics, finances, and operation in evaluating the likelihood of future success, along with future plans for improvement if any.” 5 CCR § 11966.4. For further information regarding renewal petition applications and recommendations, please see the current Independent Charter School Renewal Petition Application Guide for 2015-2016 posted on the CSD website. FORM REV. 05/26/15 Page 3 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 REPORT GUIDE In conducting oversight as a charter school authorizer, the District places an emphasis on performance and compliance with applicable law, policy, and the approved charter, as well as on the lead fiduciary role of a charter school’s governing board in the overall success of the school for students. Information gathered through oversight serves as part of the school’s ongoing record of performance and provides important data for the CSD, LAUSD Superintendent, and ultimately the LAUSD Board of Education in making informed decisions about charter school authorization. In designing this document, the District has considered California charter school law, as well as the California State Board of Education’s criteria for evaluating charter schools and the National Association of Charter School Authorizers’ Principles and Standards of Quality Authorizing. This reporting tool provides guidelines and criteria used by the CSD to observe, record, assess, and reflect with the charter school on school performance as captured during the annual oversight visit process in these four categories:     Governance – demonstrating fulfillment of the governing board’s fiduciary responsibility to effectively direct and provide oversight for the charter public school, including but not limited to enactment and monitoring of policies and procedures to ensure the school’s full compliance with applicable law, policy, and the terms of the charter approved by the LAUSD Board of Education Student Achievement and Educational Performance – demonstrating academic achievement and growth for all students Organizational Management, Programs, and Operations – demonstrating effective leadership and implementation of the governing board’s policies and procedures, as well as the school’s educational program and systems and procedures for the day-to-day operations of the school Fiscal Operations – demonstrating sound fiscal management, appropriate use of public funds, and compliance with regulatory requirements This report, including the ratings in each category, is based on information and evidence gathered at the time of the annual oversight visit. The CSD considers evidence provided through CSD staff observations, document review, interviews, and discussion with school representatives. All charter schools are expected to prepare for the visit and have available, as applicable, all documentation requested in the Annual Performance Based Oversight Visit Preparation Guide 2015-2016. The “Sources of Evidence” sections below identify key information sources generally relevant to their respective indicators; these lists are not exhaustive, however, and some items may not be applicable to the grades served. Schools may present additional evidence as deemed relevant and appropriate. As needed, CSD staff also may request additional information and/or documentation prior to, during, and/or following the visit. The tool employs the following four-point rubric to rate the school’s performance in each category: (4) Accomplished, (3) Proficient, (2) Developing, and (1) Unsatisfactory. In addition, the Summary of School Performance section in each category captures key findings under one or more of the following headings: (1) Areas of Demonstrated Strength and/or Progress (Note: potential “promising practices” are identified within this section with an asterisk [*]); (2) Areas Noted for Further Growth and/or Improvement; and, if applicable, (3) Corrective Action Required. Under “Corrective Action Required,” the CSD reports findings of material noncompliance with applicable law, LAUSD charter policy, or the school’s approved charter. If the report includes any findings under “Corrective Action Required,” the charter school must take immediate and appropriate steps to remedy the identified concern. In accordance with its “tiered intervention” approach to charter school non-compliance and poor performance, the CSD may also send the school appropriate notices, separate and apart from this report, to provide and document time-specific follow-up as necessary. At the other end of the spectrum of performance, any school that earns a rating of Accomplished in any category is encouraged to submit to the CSD a summary of those “promising practices” that the school believes have contributed to its success, in order to support the CSD’s ongoing efforts to promote and facilitate reciprocal sharing of promising practices among education leaders from across the entire portfolio of LAUSD schools. FORM REV. 05/26/15 Page 4 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 GOVERNANCE RATING* Summary of School Performance 3 Areas of Demonstrated Strength and/or Progress G3: The Governing Board has a highly developed systems in place to ensure that the school provides adequate due process, in accordance with applicable law, the charter, and LAUSD charter policy, for students, employees, parents, and the public. The school has assigned staff in place to address the myriad of concerns that arise from students, parents, and teachers at this large comprehensive high school of approximately 3,700 students. Based on the Charter School Division’s oversight 365, school leaders are responsive to CSD inquires and follow board approved policies and procedures in resolving complaints. G5: The Governing Board has a highly developed system in place for the evaluation of school administrator(s) to ensure that the school's educational program yields high student achievement and complies with all applicable legal requirements. Binder #3 provided evidence of how ECR leaders are evaluated. Templates provided described multiple leadership dimensions for evaluation such as communication, decision-making, management, interpersonal, and personal relations. The Executive Director is evaluated by the Governing Board; the Chief Business Officer is evaluated by a committee made up of Board Treasurer, Executive Director, and Board President. Assistant principals are evaluated formally by the Executive Director based on the District system of initial planning sheets, conferences, and final evaluation. Informal evaluations occur regularly through conversations and direct observation. G6: The Governing Board regularly monitors school performance and other data to inform decision-making. Areas Noted for Further Growth and/or Improvement G1: Based on review of Binder 1, the amended governance structure approved on 10-13-15, conversations with school leadership, and review of the charter petition it is evident that the Governing Board has partially implemented the organizational structure set forth in the approved charter at the time of the visit in September 2015. Review of governing board agendas and minutes provided no evidence of the existence and utilization of school committees as delineated in the charter. In most cases Committee Reports were noted on the agenda; however, no committee information was shared with the members of the governing board. January, February, March, May, and June 2015 agendas noted committee reports without any items to be reported in the minutes of the corresponding months. The two meetings in August 2015 didn’t state committee reports on the agendas or the minutes. Additionally, review of the charter petition cites an Oversight Committee that reviews all policies and decisions made by or voted upon by the Governing Board. No evidence of this committee, with membership, was found. The school renewed the charter for its second term of 5 years on November, 10, 2015. This current charter describes the Charter Advisory Committee, which is similar in nature to the previous Oversight Committee that will have duties of reviewing all policies and decisions voted upon by the governing board to ensure decisions conform to the guidelines and policies outlined in the charter. G2: It is recommended that the board agenda contain language for reasonable accommodations. Following is a sample from the LAUSD BOE agendas: Requests for disability related modifications or accommodations shall be made 24 hours prior to the meeting to the Board Secretariat in person or by calling (213) xxx-xxxx. FORM REV. 05/26/15 Page 5 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 Brown Act Training was dated; governing board members were trained in 2013 during the CCSA Conference in San Diego, less one new governing board member who hasn’t had any training. It is recommended that the governing board engage in annual Brown Act training and review G4: The Governing Board has established and monitors policies and procedures to ensure staffing in compliance with applicable provisions of law and the charter related to qualifications, clearances, credentialing, and assignment requirements. Based on review of Binder 3a, three employees had their TB clearance dated beyond the 60 day period prior to employment. One employee had their TB clearance after start date and one employee had not obtained TB clearance at all. Three employees had expired TB clearances. All employees must be TB cleared within the 60 day window and prior to employment. Corrective Action Required G1: On October 19, 2015 a Notice to Cure was sent to the board chair for over enrollment. The charter states 3600 students; however, the oversight visit revealed enrollment had increased to 3856. ECRA and the District are working through this issue to clear up misunderstandings; however, the school did submit a material revision to address enrollment and also expand the charter’s enrollment at the main campus, alternative program and independent study program. The item is slated for February board action if all goes as planned and all documents requested by the CSD are received in a timely manner. Notes: El Camino Real Charter High School was granted an amendment to its charter, by the LAUSD BOE, on October 13, 2015 to change the following: Form an El Camino Real Alliance (ECRA), change the corporate structure, and the title and job description of the school leader from principal to executive director. The reason for this requested change is that ECRA intends to function in a manner consistent with other Charter Management Organizations (CMO), operating one or more charter schools and providing a centralized administrative and operational structure to those charter schools. The governing board of ECRCHS seeks to change the title, job description and responsibilities of the school leader. The job responsibilities for the principal, now called executive director, would be expanded to include supervisory oversight over charter school directors at the ECRA proposed new independent charter schools, should the LAUSD Board of Education approve such charter schools. ECRA submitted two new charter petitions to operate two new independent charter schools as part of ECRA which were presented to the LAUSD Board of Education on November 10, 2015. The Oso charter was denied and decision on the Highlander charter was extended to the December 8, 2015 meeting. Please note: Parent/Student Handbook discusses opportunity transfers. Since ECRCHS is an independent charter school without any sister schools as part of ECRA, an exit to a District school or other charter school would deem the transfer an 'expulsion’ if misconduct is one of the expellable offenses delineated in the handbook and school is exiting the student based on that misconduct. *NOTE: If the CSD gathers or otherwise receives substantial evidence of actual conflict(s) of interest with respect to a governing board member or person in a school leadership position (e.g. CEO or principal), a charter school shall receive a rating of 1 in this category. G1: GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE - GOVERNANCE QUALITY INDICATOR #1 FORM REV. 05/26/15 Page 6 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 The Governing Board has implemented the organizational structure, roles and responsibilities set forth in the approved charter, including:  Governing Board (composition, structure, roles and responsibilities)  committees/councils  school leadership Performance Rubric ☐ The Governing Board has fully implemented the organizational structure set forth in approved charter ☐ The Governing Board has substantially implemented the organizational structure set forth in approved charter ☒ The Governing Board has partially implemented the organizational structure set forth in approved charter (2) ☐ The Governing Board has not implemented the organizational structure set forth in approved charter ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator Sources of Evidence ☒ Organization chart (B1: 1) ☐ Bylaws (B1: 2) ☒ Board member roster (B1: 3) ☒ Board meeting agendas and minutes (B1: 4) ☐ Observation of Governing Board meeting ☒ Discussion with leadership ☒ Other: (Specify) Review of GB agendas and minutes, Review of the charter petition G2: BROWN ACT - GOVERNANCE QUALITY INDICATOR #2 The Governing Board has a system in place to ensure it is adhering to applicable open meeting requirements, which protect the public interest in transparency and help to ensure that decisions are made without apparent or actual conflicts of interest:  Governing Board meetings occur regularly, are conducted openly, and provide opportunity for public participation in accordance with the Brown Act  Governing Board holds its meetings at a location(s) and in a manner that complies with teleconferencing, closed session, and access requirements  Governing Board meeting agendas and minutes are posted and maintained, as appropriate, in accordance with the Brown Act Performance Rubric ☐ The Governing Board complies with all material provisions of the Brown Act ☒ The Governing Board complies with most material provisions of the Brown Act (3) ☐ The Governing Board complies with some material provisions of the Brown Act ☐ The Governing Board complies with few material provisions of the Brown Act ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator Sources of Evidence ☒ Board meeting agendas and minutes (B1: 4) ☒ Board meeting calendar (B1: 5) ☒ Brown Act training documentation (B1: 6) ☒ Documentation of the school’s agenda posting procedures (B1: 7) ☐ Observation of Governing Board meeting ☒ Discussion with school leadership ☐ Other: (Specify) G3: DUE PROCESS - GOVERNANCE QUALITY INDICATOR #3 FORM REV. 05/26/15 Page 7 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 The Governing Board has systems in place to ensure that the school provides adequate due process, in accordance with applicable law, the school’s charter, and LAUSD charter policy, to honor and protect the rights of students, employees, parents, and the public in the following areas:  student discipline  employee grievances and discipline  parent/stakeholder complaint resolution Performance Rubric ☒ The Governing Board has highly developed systems in place to ensure that the school provides adequate due process, in accordance with applicable law, the charter, and LAUSD charter policy, for students, employees, parents, and the public (4) ☐ The Governing Board has well-developed systems in place to ensure that the school provides adequate due process, in accordance with applicable law, the charter, and LAUSD charter policy, for students, employees, parents, and the public ☐ The Governing Board has partially developed systems in place to ensure that the school provides adequate due process, in accordance with applicable law, the charter, and LAUSD charter policy, for students, employees, parents, and the public ☐ The Governing Board has minimal or no systems in place to ensure that the school provides adequate due process, in accordance with applicable law, the charter, and LAUSD charter policy, in for students, employees, parents, and the public ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator Sources of Evidence ☒ Board meeting agendas and minutes (B1: 4) ☒ Parent-Student Handbook(s) (B1: 8 or B3: 1) ☒ Uniform Complaint Procedure documentation (B1: 9) ☒ Stakeholder complaint procedure(s) (B1: 10) ☐ H.R. policies and procedures regarding staff due process (B1: 11.1) ☐ Observation of Governing Board meeting ☒ Discussion with school leadership ☐ Other: (Specify) G4: STAFFING - GOVERNANCE QUALITY INDICATOR #4 The Governing Board has a system in place to ensure that appropriate employment and other staffing decisions are made in accordance with applicable law and the terms of its approved charter governing qualifications, clearances and credentialing:  The Governing Board has established policies and procedures to ensure that faculty, staff, substitute teachers, and other persons providing service in a certificated position, are appropriately credentialed, authorized and/or otherwise qualified for the positions for which they have been employed/contracted, in accordance with applicable provisions of law and the school’s charter  The Governing Board has established policies and procedures to ensure that the school obtains all necessary employee clearances, including criminal background and tuberculosis (TB) clearances, prior to employment, and keeps all clearances current  The Governing Board has established policies and procedures to ensure that the school obtains, monitors, and maintains all necessary and appropriate vendor certifications/waivers regarding vendor employee clearances, including criminal background and tuberculosis (TB) clearances  The Governing Board has established policies and procedures regarding requirements for school volunteers, including criminal background clearances for all volunteers who perform schoolsite services while not under the direct supervision of a school employee, and tuberculosis (TB) risk assessments/clearances for all volunteers with frequent or prolonged contact with students per AB 1667  The Governing Board has established and monitors policies governing whether and under what circumstances the school may consider, for paid and volunteer service, candidates who have criminal records FORM REV. 05/26/15 Page 8 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 Performance Rubric ☐ The Governing Board has established and monitors comprehensive policies and procedures to ensure staffing in compliance with applicable provisions of law and the charter related to qualifications, clearances, credentialing, and assignment requirements ☒ The Governing Board has established and monitors policies and procedures to ensure staffing in compliance with applicable provisions of law and the charter related to qualifications, clearances, credentialing, and assignment requirements (3) ☐ The Governing Board has established some policies and procedures to ensure staffing in compliance with applicable provisions of law and the charter related to qualifications, clearances, credentialing, and assignment requirements ☐ The Governing Board has established few or no policies and procedures to ensure staffing in compliance with applicable law staffing in compliance with applicable provisions of law and the charter related to qualifications, clearances, credentialing, and assignment requirements ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator Sources of Evidence ☒ Parent-Student Handbook(s) (B1: 8 or B3: 1) ☒ H.R. policies and procedures regarding NCLB qualifications, credentialing, and clearance requirements (B1: 11.2) ☐ Observation of Governing Board meeting ☒ Discussion with school leadership ☒ Other: (Specify) NCLB Grid and supporting documents G5: EVALUATION OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP - GOVERNANCE QUALITY INDICATOR #5 The Governing Board has a system in place for the evaluation of its chief executive and school administrator(s) to ensure that:  the school’s educational program yields high student achievement  the school complies with all applicable legal requirements Performance Rubric ☒The Governing Board has a highly developed system in place for the evaluation of school administrator(s) to ensure that the school's educational program yields high student achievement and complies with all applicable legal requirements (4) ☐ The Governing Board has a well-developed system in place for the evaluation of school administrator(s) to ensure that the school's educational program yields high student achievement and complies with all applicable legal requirements ☐ The Governing Board has a partially developed system in place for the evaluation of school administrator(s) to ensure that the school's educational program yields high student achievement and complies with all applicable legal requirements ☐ The Governing Board has a minimal or no system in place for the evaluation of school administrator(s) to ensure that the school's educational program yields high student achievement and complies with all applicable legal requirements ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator FORM REV. 05/26/15 Sources of Evidence ☐ Documentation related to system for evaluation of school leadership (B1: 12) ☐ Observation of Governing Board meeting ☒ Discussion with school leadership ☐ Other: (Specify) Page 9 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 G6: DATA-BASED DECISION-MAKING - GOVERNANCE QUALITY INDICATOR #6 The Governing Board has a system in place to ensure:  review and use of academic and other school data and information to ensure sound Governing Board decision-making in support of continuous improvement of student achievement, fiscal viability, compliance, and overall public school excellence  ongoing monitoring of the school’s implementation of its LCAP action plans and progress toward LCAP goals Performance Rubric ☒ The Governing Board regularly monitors school performance and other data to inform decision-making ☐ The Governing Board monitors school performance and other data to inform decisionmaking ☐ The Governing Board inconsistently monitors school performance and other data to inform decision-making ☐ The Governing Board seldomly monitors school performance and other data to inform decision-making ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator Sources of Evidence ☒ Board meeting agendas and minutes (B1: 4) ☒ Other evidence of system for Board review and analysis of school data to inform decision-making (B1: 13) ☐ Observation of Governing Board meeting ☒ Discussion with leadership ☐ Other: (Specify) G7: FISCAL MANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY - GOVERNANCE QUALITY INDICATOR #7 The Governing Board has a system in place to ensure sound fiscal management and accountability:  Governing Board reviews and monitors the school’s budget and finances to inform and evaluate resource allocation and use consistent with the charter  Governing Board reviews and monitors its fiscal policies and procedures to ensure fiscal soundness and compliance Rubric FORM REV. 05/26/15 Sources of Evidence Page 10 of 39 Performance LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 ☐ The Governing Board regularly reviews and monitors the school's fiscal policies and procedures for soundness and compliance, and its budget and finances to inform and evaluate resource allocation and use consistent with the charter ☐ The Governing Board reviews and monitors the school's fiscal policies and procedures for soundness and compliance, and its budget and finances to inform and evaluate resource allocation and use consistent with the charter ☐ The Governing Board inconsistently reviews and monitors the school's fiscal policies and procedures for soundness and compliance, and its budget and finances to inform and evaluate resource allocation and use consistent with the charter ☒ The Governing Board seldom reviews and monitors the school's fiscal policies and procedures for soundness and compliance, and its budget and finances to inform and evaluate resource allocation and use consistent with the charter ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator ☒ Board meeting agendas and minutes (B1: 4) ☐ Other evidence of system for Board review and monitoring of fiscal policies, procedures, budget, and finances (B1: 14) ☐ Observation of Governing Board meeting ☐ Discussion with leadership ☒ Other: (See Fiscal Section Below) Progress on LAUSD Board of Education and/or MOU Benchmarks related to GOVERNANCE (if applicable): FORM REV. 05/26/15 Page 11 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE RATING Summary of School Performance 4 Areas of Demonstrated Strength and/or Progress A1: The school met its 2013 API Growth Targets for the majority of subgroups. The African American subgroup met its growth target of 5 points. The Asian subgroup increased by 2 points. English learners increased by 108 points, while socioeconomically disadvantaged subgroup increased by 11 points. A2: The school’s 2013 school-wide Growth API and its 3-year API average exceed 800. ECRCHS had a 2013 Growth API of 834 and 3-year average of 823. A3-A4: The school’s 2013 Similar Schools Rank is 7 and Statewide Rank is 9. A5: The school’s reclassification rate was a 19%; higher than similar schools and equal to resident schools. A6: The school has demonstrated proficient levels of student achievement and progress as measured by school's internal assessments and other school data. A7: 2013-14 CAHSEE pass rate for grade 10th grade was 95% for ELA and 94% for math. Areas Noted for Further Growth and/or Improvement A1: The school is working on increasing the performance levels of students with special needs. It is important to note that although the school didn’t meet the growth target for this subgroup which was 9 points, students in this subgroup did increase by 6 points. A1: Additionally the school is working with the Latino subgroup, by continuing its programs and supports, to ensure that students meet their academic goals. This subgroup decreased by 3 points. A6: Based on the analysis of internal school data, an area of growth for the school is mathematics. The school provides math tutoring Monday through Thursday to 5pm; the math department meets regularly in horizontal clusters to ensure that lesson plans cover similar content appropriate to the grade level and department expectations; there is collaboration on the creation of assessments, and the prioritization of key concepts to be taught. Corrective Action Required None Notes: FORM REV. 05/26/15 Page 12 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 A1: API GROWTH TARGETS FOR SUBGROUPS - STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE QUALITY INDICATOR #1 The school demonstrates student academic achievement, including progress towards closing the achievement gap, as measured by:  API Growth Targets for all subgroups (students with disabilities, English Learners, and socio-economically disadvantaged students, etc.)(CDE) Performance Rubric ☐ The school met its 2013 API Growth Targets for all subgroups ☒ The school met its 2013 API Growth Targets for the majority of subgroups (3) ☐ The school met its 2013 API Growth Targets for some subgroups ☐ The school did not meet its 2013 API Growth Targets for any subgroups ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator Sources of Evidence ☒ Growth API report (CDE) (B2: 1.1) ☐ Other: (Specify) A2: GROWTH API - STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE QUALITY INDICATOR #2 The school demonstrates student academic achievement, including progress towards closing the achievement gap, as measured by:  schoolwide Growth API score (CDE)  3-year API average (based on 2011, 2012, and 2013 data)(CDE) Performance Rubric ☒ The school’s 2013 school-wide Growth API and its 3-year API average exceed 800 (4) ☐ The school-wide 2013 Growth API and/or 3-year API average is at or above 775 ☐ The school-wide 2013 Growth API and/or 3-year API average is at or above 700 ☐ The school-wide 2013 Growth API or 3-year API average is below 700 ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator Sources of Evidence ☒ Growth API report (CDE) (B2: 1.1) ☒ 3-Year Average API report (CDE) (B2: 1.2) ☐ Other: (Specify) A3: SIMILAR SCHOOLS RANK - STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE QUALITY INDICATOR #3 The school demonstrates student academic achievement, including progress towards closing the achievement gap, as measured by:  Similar Schools Rank (CDE) Performance Rubric ☐ The 2013 Similar Schools Rank (CDE) is 8 or above ☒ The 2013 Similar Schools Rank (CDE) is 6 or 7 (3) ☐ The 2013 Similar Schools Rank (CDE) is 4 or 5 ☐ The 2013 Similar Schools Rank (CDE) is 3 or below ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator FORM REV. 05/26/15 Sources of Evidence ☒ Growth API report (CDE) (B2: 1.1) ☐ Other: (Specify) Page 13 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 A4: STATEWIDE RANK - STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE QUALITY INDICATOR #4 The school demonstrates student academic achievement, including progress towards closing the achievement gap, as measured by:  Statewide Rank (CDE) Performance Rubric ☒ The 2013 Statewide Rank (CDE) is 8 or above (4) ☐ The 2013 Statewide Rank (CDE) is 6 or 7 ☐ The 2013 Statewide Rank (CDE) is 4 or 5 ☐ The 2013 Statewide Rank (CDE) is 3 or below ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator Sources of Evidence ☒ Growth API report (CDE) (B2: 1.1) ☐ Other: (Specify) A5: ENGLISH LEARNER RECLASSIFICATION - STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE QUALITY INDICATOR #5 The school demonstrates student academic achievement, including progress towards closing the achievement gap, as measured by:  English Learner reclassification rate Performance Rubric ☒ The school reclassifies English Learners at a rate higher than the District average (4) ☐ The school reclassifies English Learners at a rate similar to the District average ☐ The school reclassifies English Learners at a rate lower than the District average ☐ The school does not reclassify English Learners ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator Sources of Evidence ☒ Reclassification report (CDE) (B2: 1.3) ☒ CELDT Criterion reports (CDE) (B2: 1.4) ☐ Title III AMAOs report(s) (CDE) (B2: 1.5) ☒ School internal reclassification data (B2: 2.3) ☐ Other: (Specify) A6: INTERNAL ASSESSMENT - STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE QUALITY INDICATOR #6 The school demonstrates student academic achievement, including progress towards closing the achievement gap, as measured by:  The school’s internal assessments  Other academic achievement data gathered or produced by the school, such as Advanced Placement examination participation and passage rates, A-G requirements progress and completion rates, high school graduation rates, and college acceptance rates NOTE: For purposes of evaluation of school performance for this indicator, the CSD considers only such data that is derived from standards-based high quality standardized or widely accepted assessments (e.g. NWEA, DIBELS, or Stanford 10) and/or other assessment instruments for which the school can demonstrate validity/reliability. Rubric FORM REV. 05/26/15 Sources of Evidence Page 14 of 39 Performance LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 ☐ The school has demonstrated accomplished levels of student achievement and progress ☒ Internal academic performance and progress data and as measured by school's internal assessments and other school data information (B2: 2.1 – 2-7) ☒ The school has demonstrated proficient levels of student achievement and progress as ☐ Other: (Specify) measured by school's internal assessments and other school data (3) ☐ The school has demonstrated developing levels of student achievement and progress as measured by school's internal assessments and other school data ☐ The school has demonstrated unsatisfactory levels of student achievement and progress as measured by school's internal assessments and other school data ☐ The school has not collected and/or analyzed and monitored internal assessment or other academic achievement data ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator HIGH SCHOOLS ONLY: A7: 10TH GRADE CAHSEE PASSAGE - STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE QUALITY INDICATOR #7 The school demonstrates student academic achievement, including progress towards closing the achievement gap, as measured by:  10TH Grade combined CAHSEE passage rates in ELA and Math Performance Rubric Sources of Evidence ☒ The school’s 10th grade students pass the CAHSEE in both ELA and Math at rates ☒ CAHSEE 10th Grade Combined report (CDE) (B2: 1.6) significantly above the District averages (4) ☐ Other: (Specify) th ☐ The school’s 10 grade students pass the CAHSEE in both ELA and Math at rates at or slightly above than the District averages ☐ The school’s 10th grade students pass the CAHSEE in both ELA and Math at rates below the District averages ☐ The school’s 10th grade students pass the CAHSEE in both ELA and Math at rates significantly below the District averages ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator HIGH SCHOOLS ONLY: A8: SCHOOL PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORK - STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE QUALITY INDICATOR #8 The school demonstrates student academic achievement, including progress towards closing the achievement gap, as measured by:  LAUSD School Performance Framework (SPF) classification FORM REV. 05/26/15 Page 15 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 Please note that the CSD has included this indicator for 2015-2016 in anticipation of District calculation of SPF classifications for high schools based in part on CAHSEE results. In the event that the District determines not to issue high school SPF classifications in 2015-2016, the CSD will omit this indicator. Performance Rubric ☐ 2015 School Performance Framework classification is Excelling ☐ 2015 School Performance Framework classification is Achieving ☐ 2015 School Performance Framework classification is Service and Support or Watch ☐ 2015 School Performance Framework classification is Focus ☒ No assessment of performance for this indicator Sources of Evidence ☐ 2014-15 School Performance Framework report (LAUSD) (B2: 1.7) ☐ Other: (Specify) Progress on LAUSD Board of Education and/or MOU Benchmarks related to STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT (if applicable): FORM REV. 05/26/15 Page 16 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT, PROGRAMS, AND OPERATIONS RATING* Summary of School Performance 4 Areas of Demonstrated Strength and/or Progress O1: The school has a highly developed system in place to ensure protection of student and staff health and safety, and compliance with applicable legal and charter requirements related to health and safety. On September 22, 2015 teachers and staff participated in trainings related to the Emergency Operation Plan, IIPP, Bloodborne Pathogens, Fire Prevention, Hazard Communication, and Chemicals in Lab. O2: The school has substantially implemented grade-level-appropriate standards-based instruction to ensure student mastery, and progress towards mastery, of the California academic content standards, including the CA CCSS. The school is working on increasing student to student discourse and having discussions as a staff related to the incorporation of project based learning into lesson units, thus moving away from the traditional classroom teaching approach. Observations revealed that some staff are more comfortable with this new approach than others. O3: The school has substantially implemented and monitors the components of the charter's instructional program designed to meet the learning needs of all students, including ELs. Charter Schools Division staff found evidence of implementation of interventions and supports to meet the learning needs of all students. Among the supports are CAHSEE preparation class, math tutoring, study skills classes, peer tutoring, summer school and alternative educational settings. O4: The school has fully implemented the innovative components of the educational program described in the charter. O5: The school has a highly developed system in place for full implementation and monitoring of its special education program in compliance with all requirements, including the Modified Consent Decree. The Special Day Program also offers a study skills class as an elective to support Special Day Program students who struggle with organization, homework, reading, writing, and mathematics. The Resource Program uses innovative online programs to help students improve their math and language arts skills. Students receive support in a multi-tiered fashion. O6: The school has a well-developed school climate and student discipline system in place that is aligned with the principles of the Discipline Foundation Policy and School Climate Bill of Rights. The school offers counseling services, conflict resolution, behavior contracts, alternatives to suspension, alternate programming, and positive behavior supports. O8: The school has a well-developed stakeholder communication system for gathering input, encouraging involvement, sharing information, and resolving concerns. Charter Schools Division staff interviewed two stakeholder groups, teachers and students. Teachers, who were interviewed, felt supported by the administration and the community (parents). They said they feel empowered that they can alter the education at ECR to “fit their students” without having to use “a cookie-cutter approach” to educating them. Teachers acknowledged the growth of the school since becoming a charter. Additionally, students mentioned the benefits of the diversity and the many clubs on campus. They all shared the sentiment that the school has the “feeling of family---strict, but caring.” FORM REV. 05/26/15 Page 17 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 Areas Noted for Further Growth and/or Improvement O2: Classroom visits and conversations with the administrative team revealed that teachers are working toward increasing the levels of student discourse and engagement. Administrators stated that the school is in the process of developing project based learning modules. O6: Although the suspension rate is low at 0.9%, administrators and staff are addressing the disproportionality issues with the development of programs such as La Familia and Village Nation (see notes section). O10: School leadership follows established policies and procedures to ensure staffing in compliance with applicable provisions of law and the charter related to qualifications, clearances, credentialing, and assignment requirements. Based on review of Binder 3a, three employees had their TB clearance dated beyond the 60 day period prior to employment. One employee had their TB clearance after start date and one employee had not obtained TB clearance at all. Three employees had expired TB clearances. All employees must be TB cleared within the 60 day window and prior to employment. Corrective Action Required None Notes: ECRCHS has engaged in a re-energized focus in the last few years in creating programs that serve the specific needs of certain subgroups and at-risk students. For example, in 2013 La Familia was created to support Latino students. La Familia aims to strengthen Latino communities through a focus on family, culture, education, and pride in ones’ heritage and unites Latino students through activities that promote teamwork as a means to achieve academic success. In addition, La Familia works closely with parent members of the school’s ELAC to promote the dissemination of information families need to make informed decisions for their children. ECRCHS has implemented many suggestions from Latino parents including extended library hours, after school tutoring programs, and La Familia college field trips to the UC and CSU systems. The founder of The Village Nation joined the ECRCHS faculty in 2014 and started this nationally recognized program at the school. The Village Nation is a project aimed at closing the achievement gap between African-American students and White students. It also address items such as suspensions and expulsions that effect the academic achievement of students. The mission of The Village Nation is “to boost the capacity of caring adult mentors and support school personnel in creating culturally responsive learning environments that engage and inspire African American youth and encourage them to embrace their natural intelligence and leadership capabilities.” *NOTE: A charter school shall receive a rating of 1 in this category for any of the following reasons: (1) Failed to have Health, Safety, and Emergency Plan in place; (2) Failed to conduct child abuse mandated reporter training in accordance with AB 1432; (3) Failed to complete criminal background clearances for all new staff (as defined on the NCLB Grid) prior to employment; or (4) Failed to obtain clearances certification, as appropriate, from a vendor. A charter school cannot receive a rating in this category greater than 2 if any teacher of the core instructional program is not appropriately credentialed and assigned per legal requirements and the school’s current approved charter. FORM REV. 05/26/15 Page 18 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 O1: HEALTH AND SAFETY - ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT QUALITY INDICATOR #1 The school has a system in place to ensure that:  for each school site, the school has a current site-specific Certificate of Occupancy or equivalent that authorizes the current use of the site  the school has a current site-specific comprehensive Health, Safety, and Emergency Plan  the school is able and prepared to implement its emergency procedures in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency  school provides for student immunization and health screening per applicable law and terms of the charter  school maintains an emergency epinephrine auto-injector (“epi-pen”) onsite and has provided training to volunteer staff member(s) in the storage and emergency use of the epi-pen  school staff and other mandated reporters working on behalf of the school receive timely training on child abuse awareness and reporting in accordance with the requirements of AB 1432  school staff receives annual training on the handling of bloodborne pathogens Performance Rubric ☒ The school has a highly developed system in place to ensure protection of student and staff health and safety, and compliance with applicable legal and charter requirements related to health and safety (4) ☐ The school has a well-developed system in place to ensure protection of student and staff health and safety, and compliance with applicable legal and charter requirements related to health and safety ☐ The school has a partially developed system in place to ensure protection of student and staff health and safety, and compliance with applicable legal and charter requirements related to health and safety ☐ The school has a minimal or no system in place to ensure protection of student and staff health and safety, and compliance with applicable legal and charter requirements related to health and safety ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator FORM REV. 05/26/15 Sources of Evidence ☒ Parent-Student Handbook(s) (B1: 8 or B3: 1) ☐ Certificate of Occupancy or equivalent (B3: 2.1) ☒ Comprehensive Health, Safety, and Emergency Plan (B3: 2.2) ☒ Evacuation route maps (B3: 2.2) ☒ Documentation of emergency drills and training (B3: 2.3) ☒ Evidence of provision and location of onsite emergency supplies (B3: 2.4) ☒ Evidence that school provides for student immunization and health screening (B3: 2.5) ☒ Epi-pen documentation (B3: 2.6) ☒ Child abuse mandated reporter training documentation (B3: 2.7) ☒ Bloodborne pathogens training documentation (B3: 2.8) ☒ Certification of Clearances, Credentialing, NCLB Qualifications, and Mandated Reporter Training 20152016 (“NCLB Grid”) (B3A) ☒ Site/classroom observation ☒ Discussion with school leadership ☐ Other: (Specify) Page 19 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 O2: STANDARDS–BASED INSTRUCTION - ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT QUALITY INDICATOR #2 The school has:  implemented standards-based instruction to ensure student mastery, and progress towards mastery, of the California academic content standards, including the Common Core State Standards (CA CCSS), that are applicable to the grade levels served  obtained WASC accreditation (high schools only)  implemented a system to monitor student progress toward and completion of graduation and A-G requirements (high schools only)  received UC/CSU approval of courses (high schools only) Performance Rubric ☐ The school has fully implemented grade-level-appropriate standards-based instruction to ensure student mastery, and progress towards mastery, of the California academic content standards, including the CA CCSS ☒ The school has substantially implemented grade-level-appropriate standards-based instruction to ensure student mastery, and progress towards mastery, of the California academic content standards, including the CA CCSS (3) ☐ The school has partially implemented grade-level-appropriate standards-based instruction to ensure student mastery, and progress towards mastery, of the California academic content standards, including the CA CCSS ☐ The school has minimally implemented, or not at all, grade-level-appropriate standardsbased instruction to ensure student mastery, and progress towards mastery, of the California academic content standards, including the CA CCSS ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator Sources of Evidence ☒ Evidence of standards-based instructional program (B3: 3.1) ☒ LCAP (B3: 3.2) ☒ Evidence of technology readiness to administer CAASPP assessments (B3: 3.3) ☒ WASC documentation (B3: 3.4) ☒ UC Doorways course approval documentation (B3: 3.5) ☐ Evidence of implementation of Transitional Kindergarten (B3: 3.6) ☒ Professional development documentation (B3: 3.7) ☒ Classroom observation ☒ Discussion with school leadership ☐ Other: (Specify) O3: MEETING THE NEEDS OF ALL STUDENTS - ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT QUALITY INDICATOR #3 The school:  implements the differentiation, intervention, and other instructional strategies and approaches described in the charter designed to meet the learning needs of all students  implements, monitors, and modifies, as appropriate, its Master Plan for English Learners (EL identification, progress monitoring, assessment, and reclassification)  has appointed a designee to assist and support foster youth Rubric FORM REV. 05/26/15 Sources of Evidence Page 20 of 39 Performance LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 ☐ The school has fully implemented and monitors the components of the charter's instructional program designed to meet the learning needs of all students, including ELs ☒ The school has substantially implemented and monitors the components of the charter's instructional program designed to meet the learning needs of all students, including ELs (3) ☐ The school has partially implemented the components of the charter's instructional program designed to meet the learning needs of all students, including ELs ☐ The school has minimally implemented, or not at all, the components of the charter's instructional program designed to meet the learning needs of all students, including ELs ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator ☒ Evidence of standards-based instructional program (B3: 3.1) ☐ LCAP (B3: 3.2) ☒ Professional development documentation (B3: 3.7) ☒ Evidence of intervention and support for all students, including implementation of the school’s English Learner Master Plan (B3: 3.8) ☒ Classroom observation ☒ Discussion with school leadership ☐ Other: (Specify) O4: IMPLEMENTATION OF INNOVATIVE PROGRAM COMPONENTS - ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT QUALITY INDICATOR #4 The school has implemented the innovative components of the educational program described in the school’s charter Performance Rubric ☒ The school has fully implemented the innovative components of the educational program described in the charter (4) ☐ The school has substantially implemented the innovative components of the educational program described in the charter ☐ The school has partially implemented the innovative components of the educational program described in the charter ☐ The school has minimally implemented, or not at all, the innovative components of the educational program described in the charter ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator Sources of Evidence ☒ Professional development documentation (B3: 3.7) ☒ Evidence of implementation of innovative components of educational program (B3: 3.9) ☒ Classroom observation ☒ Discussion with school leadership ☐ Other: (Specify) O5: SPECIAL EDUCATION - ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT QUALITY INDICATOR #5 The school has a system in place to ensure that the school:  provides Special Education programs and services in accordance with students’ IEPs and the terms of the Modified Consent Decree  provides Special Education training for staff in accordance with requirements of the Modified Consent Decree  conducts a special education self-review annually, using the Special Education Self-Review Checklist  maintains timely and accurate records in Welligent Rubric FORM REV. 05/26/15 Sources of Evidence Page 21 of 39 Performance LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 ☒ The school has a highly developed system in place for full implementation and monitoring of its special education program in compliance with all requirements, including the Modified Consent Decree (4) ☐ The school has a well-developed system in place for full implementation and monitoring of its special education program in compliance with all requirements, including the Modified Consent Decree ☐ The school has a partially developed system in place for full implementation and monitoring of its special education program in compliance with all requirements, including the Modified Consent Decree ☐ The school has a minimal or no system in place for full implementation and monitoring of its special education program in compliance with all requirements, including the Modified Consent Decree ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator ☒ Parent-Student Handbook(s) (B1: 8 or B3: 1) ☒ Professional development documentation (B3: 3.7) ☒ Evidence of intervention and support for students with disabilities (B3: 3.8) ☒ DVR documentation (B3: 4.1) ☒ Self-Review Checklist (B3: 4.1) ☐ Other special education documentation (B3: 4.1) ☒ Welligent reports and/or other MCD documentation ☒ Classroom observation ☒ Discussion with school leadership ☐ Other: (Specify) O6: SCHOOL CLIMATE AND STUDENT DISCIPLINE - ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT QUALITY INDICATOR #6 The school has a school climate and schoolwide student discipline system in place to ensure that the school’s practices:  align with the principles of the District’s Discipline Foundation Policy and School Climate Bill of Rights Resolution, including but not limited to, tiered behavior intervention, alternatives to suspension, and schoolwide positive behavior support, and data monitoring  provide positive opportunities for student wellness, growth and success, aimed at making the school safe, welcoming, supportive and inclusive  minimize discretionary suspensions and expulsions  reduce or eliminate suspension disproportionality for student subgroups Rubric FORM REV. 05/26/15 Sources of Evidence Page 22 of 39 Performance LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 ☐ The school has a highly developed school climate and student discipline system in place that is aligned with the principles of the Discipline Foundation Policy and School Climate Bill of Rights ☒ The school has a well-developed school climate and student discipline system in place that is aligned with the principles of the Discipline Foundation Policy and School Climate Bill of Rights (3) ☐ The school has a partially developed school climate and student discipline system in place that is aligned with the principles of the Discipline Foundation Policy and School Climate Bill of Rights ☐ The school has a minimally developed or no school climate and student discipline system in place that is aligned with the principles of the Discipline Foundation Policy and School Climate Bill of Rights ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator ☒ Parent-Student Handbook(s) (B1: 8 or B3: 1) ☐ LCAP (B3: 3.2) ☒ Professional development documentation (B3: 3.7) ☒ Evidence of implementation of school climate and student discipline system that aligns with Discipline Foundation Policy and School Climate Bill of Rights principles (B3: 4.2) ☒ Evidence of implementation of tiered behavior intervention, such as SST/COST (B3: 4.2) ☒ Evidence of implementation of alternatives to suspension (B3: 4.2) ☒ Evidence of implementation of schoolwide positive behavior support system (B3: 4.2) ☒ Evidence of data monitoring (B3: 4.2) ☒ LAUSD suspension and expulsion data reports ☒ Interview of stakeholders ☒ Discussion with school leadership ☐ Other: (Specify) O7: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT - ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT QUALITY INDICATOR #7 The school:  has a school-wide professional development plan for teachers and other staff that supports the educational program set forth in the charter and targets identified needs  provides faculty and other instructional staff with professional development opportunities to improve instructional practice  provides opportunities for teachers to collaborate regularly for the purpose of planning and improving curriculum and instruction Rubric FORM REV. 05/26/15 Sources of Evidence Page 23 of 39 Performance LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 ☒ The school has fully implemented a professional development plan for teachers and other staff that supports instructional practices, targets identified needs, and aligns with the education program set forth in the charter (4) ☐ The school has implemented a professional development plan for teachers and other staff that supports instructional practices, targets identified needs, and aligns with the education program set forth in the charter ☐ The school has partially implemented a professional development plan for teachers and other staff that supports instructional practices, targets identified needs, and aligns with the education program set forth in the charter ☐ The school has not implemented a professional development plan for teachers and other staff that supports instructional practices, targets identified needs, and aligns with the education program set forth in the charter ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator ☐ LCAP (B3: 3.2) ☒ Professional development documentation (B3: 3.7) ☒ Interview of teachers and/or other staff ☒ Discussion with school leadership ☐ Other: (Specify) O8: STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATION AND INVOLVEMENT - ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT QUALITY INDICATOR #8 The school has a stakeholder communication system for gathering input, facilitating and encouraging involvement, sharing information, and resolving concerns, which:  engages in communication that notifies parents and other stakeholders of the process for resolving concerns, including how they may contact board members, and supports students, families, and other stakeholders in effectively resolving concerns  provides all stakeholders (e.g., parents/guardians, students, and teachers) with appropriate, accessible and relevant information about individual student and schoolwide academic progress and performance  informs parents of high school students about transferability of courses to other public high schools and the eligibility of courses to meet college entrance requirements (high schools only)  provides parents, teachers, and students with meaningful opportunities for involvement and engagement that meet the requirements and goals of applicable federal and state law, the school’s charter, and the school LCAP Rubric FORM REV. 05/26/15 Sources of Evidence Page 24 of 39 Performance LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 ☐ The school has a highly developed stakeholder communication system for gathering input, encouraging involvement, sharing information, and resolving concerns ☒ The school has a well-developed stakeholder communication system for gathering input, encouraging involvement, sharing information, and resolving concerns (3) ☐ The school has a partially developed stakeholder communication system for gathering input, encouraging involvement, sharing information, and resolving concerns ☐ The school has a minimal or no stakeholder communication system for gathering input, encouraging involvement, sharing information, and resolving concerns ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator ☒ Parent-Student Handbook (B1: 8 or B3: 1) ☒ Evidence of stakeholder consultation (B3: 4.3) ☒ Evidence of parent/stakeholder involvement and engagement (B3: 4.3) ☒ Evidence of sharing accessible and relevant information about individual student and schoolwide academic progress and performance with all stakeholders as appropriate (B3: 4.3) ☒ Evidence of communication to parents and other stakeholders of complaint resolution process(es) (B3: 4.3) ☒ Evidence that parents are informed about transferability of courses/course credit and eligibility to meet A-G requirements (B3: 4.3) ☒ Evidence of provision of stakeholder access to school’s approved charter (B3: 4.3) ☒ Parent NCLB “Right to Know” letter (B3: 4.3) ☒ Parent NCLB Noncompliance Notification letter(s) (B3: 4.3) ☒ Interview of stakeholders---Teacher and student interviews ☒ Discussion with school leadership ☒ Other: (Specify) Oversight 365 O9: EVALUATION OF SCHOOL STAFF - ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT QUALITY INDICATOR #9 The school has a system in place for the evaluation of school staff designed to ensure that:  the school’s educational program yields high student achievement  the school complies with all applicable legal requirements Rubric FORM REV. 05/26/15 Sources of Evidence Page 25 of 39 Performance LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 ☒ The school has a highly developed system in place for the evaluation of school staff ☒ Evidence of staff evaluation system (B1: 12 or B3: 4.4) designed to ensure that the school's educational program yields high student achievement ☒ Discussion with school leadership and complies with all applicable legal requirements (4) ☒ Other: (Specify) Teacher interviews ☐ The school has a well-developed system in place for the evaluation of school staff designed to ensure that the school's educational program yields high student achievement and complies with all applicable legal requirements ☐ The school has a partially developed system in place for the evaluation of school staff designed to ensure that the school's educational program yields high student achievement and complies with all applicable legal requirements ☐ The school has a minimal or no system in place for the evaluation of school staff designed to ensure that the school's educational program yields high student achievement and complies with all applicable legal requirements ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator O10: CLEARANCES AND CREDENTIALING COMPLIANCE - ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT QUALITY INDICATOR #10 The school is in compliance with applicable law and the terms of its approved charter regarding clearances and credentialing:  all certificated staff are fully credentialed and appropriately assigned as authorized by their credentials  the school has obtained all necessary employee clearances, including criminal background and tuberculosis (TB) clearances, prior to employment, and keeps all clearances current  the school has obtained all necessary vendor clearances, including criminal background and tuberculosis (TB) clearances, prior to the provision of service, and keeps all clearances current  the school has conducted volunteer clearances in accordance with applicable law and policy, including criminal background clearances for all volunteers who perform schoolsite services while not under the direct supervision of a school employee, and tuberculosis (TB) risk assessments/clearances for all volunteers with frequent or prolonged contact with students Rubric FORM REV. 05/26/15 Sources of Evidence Page 26 of 39 Performance LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 ☐ The school has fully implemented and continually monitors systems and procedures that maintain 100% compliance with applicable law, including but not limited to clearance, credentialing, and assignment requirements ☒ The school has implemented and monitors systems and procedures that maintain substantial compliance with applicable law, including but not limited to clearance, credentialing, and assignment requirements (3) ☐ The school has partially implemented and intermittently monitors systems and procedures to maintain compliance with applicable law, including but not limited to clearance, credentialing, and assignment requirements ☐ The school has not implemented and/or does not monitor systems and procedures to maintain compliance with applicable law, including but not limited to clearance, credentialing, and assignment requirements ☐ No assessment of performance for this indicator ☒ Certification of Clearances, Credentialing, NCLB Qualifications, and Mandated Reporter Training 20152016 (“NCLB Grid”) (B3A: 1.1) ☒ Staff rosters and school master schedule B3A: 1.2 – 1.4) ☒ Custodian(s) of Records documentation (B3A: 1.5) ☒ Criminal Background Clearance Certifications (B3A: 2 & 3) ☒ Teaching credential/authorization documentation (B3A: 2 & 3) ☒ Vendor certifications (B3A: 4) ☒ Volunteer (TB) risk assessment/clearance certification (B3A: 5) ☒ Discussion with school leadership ☐ Other: (Specify) Progress on LAUSD Board of Education and/or MOU Benchmarks related to ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT (if applicable): FORM REV. 05/26/15 Page 27 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 2012-13 8617 El Camino Real Charter High Preliminary Budget Cash and Cash Equivalents First Interim 2013-14 Second Interim Unaudited Actuals Audited Financials Preliminary Budget First Interim 2014-15 Second Interim Unaudited Actuals Audited Financials Preliminary Budget First Interim Second Interim Unaudited Actuals Audited Financials 467,606 192,989 353,486 441,075 4,181,885 4,833,328 5,777,172 7,537,314 7,921,445 8,423,063 7,728,492 0 10,340,284 11,428,523 10,721,100 10,747,870 10,722,768 10,946,072 12,153,214 12,141,778 14,322,064 15,039,340 16,569,678 0 Fixed Assets 66,926 87,054 320,701 381,520 308,444 354,663 618,117 618,117 681,222 834,781 999,942 0 Total Assets 10,407,210 11,515,577 11,041,802 11,129,390 11,031,211 11,300,735 12,771,331 12,759,895 15,003,286 15,874,121 17,569,620 0 4,370,667 3,904,462 4,424,562 4,424,561 1,152,072 1,183,099 2,926,272 2,754,902 1,270,727 1,344,887 3,801,132 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Liabilities 4,370,667 3,904,462 4,424,562 4,424,561 1,152,072 1,183,099 2,926,272 2,754,902 1,270,727 1,344,887 3,801,132 0 Net Assets 6,036,543 7,611,115 6,617,240 6,704,829 9,879,139 10,117,636 9,845,059 10,004,993 13,732,559 14,529,234 13,768,488 0 Current Assets Current Liabilities Long Term Liabilities Total Revenues 25,580,294 26,985,084 28,977,593 28,231,032 28,325,638 28,004,855 28,849,333 29,066,140 29,418,765 29,578,701 29,884,557 32,103,629 32,931,903 33,563,733 0 Total Expenditures 23,338,261 24,284,053 24,701,990 24,949,287 24,956,304 24,555,184 25,675,024 25,653,335 26,278,537 26,278,537 27,352,348 28,376,064 28,407,664 29,800,240 0 2,242,032 2,701,031 4,275,603 3,281,745 3,369,334 3,449,671 3,174,308 3,412,805 3,140,228 3,300,164 2,532,209 3,727,565 4,524,239 3,763,493 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Inc / (Dec) in Net Assets 2,161,697 2,701,031 4,275,603 3,281,745 3,369,334 3,449,671 3,174,308 3,412,805 3,140,228 3,300,164 2,532,209 3,727,565 4,524,239 3,763,493 0 Net Assets, Beginning 4,171,798 3,472,233 3,472,233 3,472,233 3,335,495 7,611,115 6,617,242 6,617,240 6,617,240 6,704,829 10,117,635 10,016,430 9,845,059 9,845,059 0 0 0 87,589 87,591 87,591 0 0 159,936 159,936 0 Net Income / (Loss) Operating Transfers In (Out) and Sources / Uses (80,335) Extraordinary Item - Transfer of Net Assets Adj. for restatement / Prior Yr Adj 0 (136,721) (136,721) (136,738) (11,436) Net Assets, Beginning, Adjusted 4,171,798 3,335,512 3,335,512 3,335,495 3,335,495 7,611,115 6,704,831 6,704,831 6,704,831 6,704,829 10,117,635 10,004,994 10,004,995 10,004,995 0 Net Assets, End 6,333,495 6,036,543 7,611,115 6,617,240 6,704,829 11,060,786 9,879,139 10,117,636 9,845,059 10,004,993 12,649,844 13,732,559 14,529,234 13,768,488 0 8617 El Camino Real Charter High Cash and Cash Equivalents Audited Financials 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2015-16 2014-15 Preliminary Budget 2015-16 First Interim Second Interim Unaudited Actuals Audited Financials 170,563 441,075 7,537,314 0 0 0 0 0 0 7,287,127 10,747,870 12,141,778 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fixed Assets 67,718 381,520 618,117 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Assets 7,354,845 11,129,390 12,759,895 0 0 0 0 0 0 Current Liabilities 4,019,350 4,424,561 2,754,902 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Liabilities 4,019,350 4,424,561 2,754,902 0 0 0 0 0 0 Net Assets 3,335,495 6,704,829 10,004,993 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Revenues 25,685,317 28,325,638 29,578,701 0 0 32,483,836 0 0 0 0 Total Expenditures 22,349,822 24,956,304 26,278,537 0 0 30,481,968 0 0 0 0 3,335,495 3,369,334 3,300,164 0 0 2,001,868 0 0 0 0 Operating Transfers In (Out) and Sources / Uses 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Extraordinary Item - Transfer of Net Assets 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3,335,495 3,369,334 3,300,164 0 0 2,001,868 0 0 0 0 0 3,335,495 6,704,829 0 0 14,529,234 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (1,007,320) 0 0 0 0 0 3,335,495 6,704,829 0 0 13,521,914 0 0 0 0 3,335,495 6,704,829 10,004,993 0 0 15,523,782 0 0 0 0 Current Assets Long Term Liabilities Net Income / (Loss) Inc / (Dec) in Net Assets Net Assets, Beginning Adj. for restatement / Prior Yr Adj Net Assets, Beginning, Adjusted Net Assets, End FORM REV. 05/26/15 Page 28 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 FISCAL OPERATIONS RATING You have been assessed by the Fiscal Oversight team and you are eligible to be considered for the rating of 1 , Unsatisfactory. Other circumstances and information influencing the rating are noted in this evaluation. 1 Areas of Demonstrated Strength and/or Progress: The newly formed El Camino Real Alliance (ECRA), a non-profit corporation, now called ECRA, can function as a Charter Management Organization (CMO), operating one or more charter schools and providing a centralized administrative and operational structure to those charter schools. El Camino Real Charter High School (ECRCHS), now overseen by ECRA, is a conversion charter high school. In the 2010/2011 school year, the faculty voted for conversion to an independent charter school. The charter became effective on July 1, 2011, serving 9th to 12th grade students. The current charter granted is for the period from August 15, 2011 to June 30, 2016. The 2013/14 audit, the most current we have, show positive net assets of $10,004,993 and positive change in net assets of $3,763,493. The 2014/15 unaudited actuals show positive net assets of $13,768,488. The school’s cash reserve is $7,728,492, this represents 25.9% of expenses. This is 20.9% above the recommended 5% cash reserve. The 2015/16 preliminary budget shows positive net assets of $15,770,356. The school has a strong fiscal position with an incline trend since 2011/2012. As per school personnel, the variances for FY 2014/15 from the Preliminary Budget to the 1 st and 2nd interims were caused by a combination of conservative estimate of gap % , an increase in LCFF funding and variance in total expenditures which was mainly caused by teacher salary increases.  Net Assets and Change in Net Assets per Audit Reports Net Assets 2013/2014: $10,004,993 2012/2013: $ 6,704,829 2011/2012: $ 3,335,495  Change in Net Assets 2013/2014: $3,300,164 2012/2013: $3,369,334 2011/2012: $3,335,495 2014/2015 Unaudited Actuals Net Assets: $13,768,488 Change in Net Assets: $3,763,493  2015/2016 Preliminary Budget Net Assets: $14,763,036 Change in Net Assets: $2,001,868 FORM REV. 05/26/15 Page 29 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 Areas Noted for Further Growth and/or Improvement: The 2013/2014 variance between the Unaudited Actuals (UA) and the Audited Financials (AF) was due to the receipt of unrecorded receivables from unexpected Common Core Funds. As per the explanation provided by the CBO, the cash fund was received and the revenue was recorded after the unaudited actuals reporting to CDE. The total liabilities, net assets and net income were all affected by the timing of the revenue recognition of the common core funds and the posting of expenditures incurred in 2013/14. Hence, there was a lack of application of the accrual basis of accounting towards financial reporting. CHECK DISBURSEMENTS: The school’s main operating account is maintained with Pacific Western Bank. Requests for payments are received, reviewed and approved for processing at the school site prior to forwarding to ExED for payment. Checks over $5,000 requires co-signature for nonrecurring items. Computer checks bears the electronic signature of the School Director and the Assistant Principal. Lastly, the school possesses a manual check stock at the school site with the School Director and Assistant Principal as the authorized signers of the check. As per the ECRCHS Fiscal Policies and Procedures Handbook: Pg. 4 under Purchasing, it states that: 1. The following may authorize expenditures, without pre-approval, within the approved budget:  School Director  Chief Business Officer  Assistant Principal(s) with signing authority The Governing Board must review all expenditures. This will be done via approval of a check register which lists all checks written during a set period of time and includes check #, payee, date and amount. 2. The School Director and/or Assistant Principal(s) must approve all purchases. Purchase requisitions, authorizing the purchase of items greater than $100, must be signed by the School Director and/or Assistant Principal and submitted to ExED with the related invoice. 3. When approving purchases, the School Director and/or Assistant Principal must: a. Determine if the expenditure is budgeted b. Determine if the funds are currently available for expenditures (i.e. cash flow) c. Determine if the expenditure is allowable under the appropriate revenue source d. Determine if the expenditure is appropriate and consistent with the vision, approved charter, school policies and procedures, and any related laws or applicable regulations e. Determine if the price is competitive and prudent. All purchases over $50,000 must include documentation of a good faith effort to secure the lowest possible expected cost for comparable goods or services. Results of Review: 1. All purchases made did not have a requisition form to indicate that expenditure was budgeted, verified for funds availability, and use of funds is consistent with the fiscal policies and procedures. Expenses were incurred first and then review and approval were made upon receipt of vendor invoice or purchase receipts from school personnel for payment. 2. On one of the items paid for Robotic Materials, the invoice showed a delivery address other than the school address. The invoice bears a name other than the person who requested the purchase. FORM REV. 05/26/15 Page 30 of 39 3. 4. 5. LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 For the expense reimbursement requests, the mileage calculation shows a starting point from the residence of the employee to the location of the conference. Internal Revenue Service basic rule follows that commuting is a personal expense, hence the miles driven from home to office is not included in the mileage reimbursement calculation. On one of the items selected for review, there is one expense reimbursement to an employee for Spring 2015 tuition fee geared towards career advancement. There is no clear indication from the fiscal policy whether such benefit is available to all staff of the school. In addition there is no threshold amount that specifies the school’s limit for tuition reimbursements. On more than one occasions, there were expenses incurred for construction related work that were not accompanied by a fully executed contract agreement as required, per the fiscal policies and procedures. Recommendation to enhance internal control process: 1. Require that all check request bears the approval of an authorized personnel on the purchase requisition form. Furthermore, instruct the finance office to ensure that only the school address should be used on the sales order prior to processing payments. 2. Update the travel expense form to indicate the proper calculation of mileage reimbursement. Reimbursement should deduct the distance from place of residence to regular work location out of the total mileage claimed. 3. Require the finance office to process payment for services rendered, lease, loans etc., only upon receipt of a fully executed contract. 4. Update the fiscal policies and procedures to include “Tuition Reimbursement Policy” which will specify threshold amounts and qualification for reimbursements. o As per your Fiscal Policies and Procedures: ExED is the back office provider (BOP) and their role has been identified throughout the approved policies and procedures. Effective July 1, 2015, ECRCHS has decided to bring the “Fiscal Operations” in-house under the direction of Duc Quach, Controller and the assistance of Ed Tec. ExED will no longer be the BOP for ECRCHS, hence the fiscal policies need to be revised to reflect the correct information. CREDIT CARD USE: El Camino Real Charter High School currently has two types of credit cards issued under the name of the school namely; American Express and Visa Card. Per the Fiscal Policies and Procedures, the authorized credit card holders are School Director, Chief Business Officer and Assistant Principal for American Express and the Assistant Principal and Human Resource Manager for Visa Card. As per the ECRCHS Fiscal Policies and Procedures Handbook: Pg. 5 under Purchasing #8, it states that:  The board approved credit card holders may authorize an individual to use a school credit card to make an authorized purchase on behalf of the school, consistent with guidelines provided by the School Director, Chief Business Officer and/or Governing Board. a. The school card will be kept under supervision of the board approved credit card holders, and authorized individuals must sign the credit card out and must return the credit card and related documentation of all purchases within 24 hours of the purchases, unless otherwise authorized by the School Director. b. If receipts are not available or are “missing”, the individual making the charge will be held responsible for payment. c. Credit cards will bear the names of both EL CAMINO REAL CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL and the board approved credit card holder(s). FORM REV. 05/26/15 Page 31 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 Results of Review: 1. The handbook merely discuss authorization and custody of the credit cards, there is no policy for Credit Card use. 2. There is a $50 per diem rate specified in the Travel Expense Form for meals, however, there were numerous charges for restaurants ranging from $29 to $834 each occurrence. The supporting documentation attached did not provide explanation as to the nature of the expense and number of people that dined . The credit card payment request will simply bear the approval of the Assistant Principal or Chief Business Officer. 3. Various travel expenses via Airline ticket charges to the credit card reflected amounts ranging from $80 to $1,265. Review of the charges indicated travel arrangements were made for first/business class fares. The supporting documentation did not provide any explanation as to the nature of the travel expenses. 4. Various charges for hotel accommodation with costs ranging from $300 to $2,934 for a hotel stay of 1 to 4 days. The fiscal policies and procedures indicated that Hotel rates should be negotiated at the lowest level possible however, from the supporting documentation provided such effort cannot be identified. In addition, there were hotel accommodation charges on the credit card near the airport the day before and after the travel date. There is no indication that the employee travelling lived 50 miles away from the originating airport location. 5. There were charges on the credit card statement where it was indicated as “personal use”. From the notation on the credit card statement, there were only a handful of reimbursements made by the employee for such usage, the turn-around time of payback to the school ranges from two to three months. This appears excessive in time frame for funds to be given back to the school. 6. Per the policies and procedures, expenses with missing receipt will be the responsibility of the individual making the purchase. On more than one occasions, these instances had occurred but there is no indication that the school had put into place a procedure that provides for the collection process of reimbursing the funds back to the school from the liable employee. 7. Based on documents reviewed, supporting documents shows that expense reports submitted by the School Director indicated mere approval either by the Chief Business Officer or the Assistant Principal. There is no indication that a board member reviewed/approved such credit card expenses as stated in the Fiscal Policies and Procedures. 8. There were various charges for the purchase of furniture from a recurring vendor with total costs over $10,000. The only supporting documents attached to the payments was the “Credit Card Summary Recap” prepared by the finance office and approved by the School Director or Assistant Principal. Verification with regards to delivery/installation address, nature of expense and number of units purchased cannot be performed due to absence of invoice and bill of lading for items purchased. Recommendation to enhance internal control process: 1. Update the fiscal policies and procedures to include a policy for Credit Card Use. The policy should include threshold amounts and should qualify the types of transaction to be charged on the credit card. Expenses that does not fall under the Credit Card Use policy should be submitted and paid through the check disbursement process. 2. Implement a review and approval process that will require a requisition form that will provide for the explanation as to the nature, estimated amount and purpose of the expense prior to the purchase being charged on the credit card. 3. Develop and adopt documentation that clearly shows that the card holder is aware of all of the credit card policies. 4. Implement a threshold amount whereby it will require the approval of the expense by a board member for credit card charges. Such approval should be required as part of the supporting documentation prior to payment processing. FORM REV. 05/26/15 Page 32 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 Corrective Action Required:  Respond to Notice to Cure and implement recommended actions. Notes: As part of the authorizing activities of LAUSD, the Charter Schools Division (CSD) performs annual oversight visit to evaluate the fiscal condition of the independent charter school operating within the boundaries of LAUSD. The school is given a rating based on various criteria as outlined in the Fiscal Operations Rubric below. During the course of the oversight visit, CSD conducted a systematic fiscal review process which includes, but not limited to the following: 1. Reviewed independent audit report for fiscal year 2013/2014, the audit opinion is unmodified with no significant material weaknesses, deficiency or findings noted in the report. 2. Reviewed bank statements from March 2015 to August 2015. No discrepancies noted. 3. The ending cash balance from the bank reconciliations for the months of July and August 2015 reconciled with the actual cash balance in the cash-flow for 2015/16. 4. Reviewed credit card statements from February 2015 to July 2015. Various discrepancies noted and listed in detail under “Areas Noted for Further Growth and/or Improvement” above. 5. Reviewed the following checks: 1002728, 1002738, 1002747, 1002748, 1002766, 1002780, 1002795, 1002922, 1003041, 1003139, 1003156, 1003251, 1003293, 1003299, 1003323, 1003351, 1003470, 1003482, 1003495, 1003519, 1003583, 1003586, 1003654, 1003658, 1003691, 1003817, 1003821, 1003925 and 1004082. Various discrepancies noted and listed in detail under “Areas Noted for Further Growth and/or Improvement” above. 6. As per Lucy, Accounting Technician, since the inception of the school becoming an independent charter. The school does not have a separate account for Student Body/ASB. 7. El Camino Real Charter High School did not disclose any legal, regulatory proceeding, or investigation which might have a material impact on their financial viability. 8. Evidence of PERS/STRS payment was done via bank statements for the months of March thru August 2015. 9. Conducted a “Segregation of Duties” interview with the Assistant Principal and the Accounting Technician in the areas of payroll, procurement, petty cash, cash handling, check reimbursements and credit card usage. The interview revealed no discrepancies, however the review of cancelled checks and credit card transaction revealed a number of discrepancies which have been noted in the section “Areas Noted for Further Growth and/or Improvement” above. 10. Provided minutes of the meeting reflecting receipt, review or approval of reports submitted to LAUSD: o 2015/2016 Approved Budget – 6/17/15 o 1st Interim – 12/17/14 o 2nd Interim – 3/25/15 o LCAP – 6/17/15 o 2013-14 Audit – 11/19/14 o 2014-15 Unaudited Actuals – 8/26/15 11. Provided minutes of the meeting reflecting the selection of the auditor – 1/14/15. 12. Website contains EPA required posting Progress on LAUSD Board of Education and/or MOU Benchmarks related to FISCAL OPERATIONS (if applicable): FORM REV. 05/26/15 Page 33 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 Fiscal Operations Rubrics A school that meets all of the required criteria and four of the Supplemental Criteria listed below would be assessed eligible to be considered as Accomplished. Existing Schools (based on the most current annual audit): An existing school is one that has at least one annual independent audit on file with the Charter Schools Division REQUIRED CRITERIA 1. Net Assets are positive in the prior two audits; 2. The two most current audits show no material weaknesses, deficiencies and/or findings; 3. All vendors and staff are paid in a timely manner; 4. Governing board approves Fiscal Policies and Procedures, at a minimum, every five years to correspond to the charter term; 5. Charter school adheres to the governing board approved Fiscal Policies and Procedures; 6. Governing board adopts the annual budget; 7. Governing board approves any amendment(s) to the charter school’s budget; 8. Governing board receives and reviews reports (e.g., preliminary budget, first interim, second interim, unaudited actuals, audited actuals, etc.) submitted to LAUSD; 9. As a practice, the governing board discusses and resolves audit exceptions and deficiencies to the satisfaction of LAUSD; 10. There is no conflict of interest; 11. The EPA allocation and expenditures are posted on the charter school’s website; 12. The LCAP is submitted to the appropriate agencies; 13. The charter school has knowledge of any material differences amongst the preliminary budget, first interim, second interim, unaudited actuals, and audited actuals; 14. Requests for information made by the Charter Schools Division and LAUSD are processed by the charter school in a timely manner; and 15. Audited and unaudited actuals nearly mirror each other. FORM REV. 05/26/15 A school that meets all of the required criteria and three of the Supplemental Criteria listed below would be assessed eligible to be considered as Proficient. Existing Schools (based on the most current annual audit): An existing school is one that has at least one annual independent audit on file with the Charter Schools Division REQUIRED CRITERIA 1. Net Assets are positive in the most current audit; 2. The most current audit shows no material weaknesses, deficiencies and/or findings; 3. All vendors and staff are paid in a timely manner; 4. Governing board approves Fiscal Policies and Procedures, at a minimum, every five years to correspond to the charter term; 5. Charter school adheres to the governing board approved Fiscal Policies and Procedures; 6. Governing board adopts the annual budget; 7. Governing board approves any amendment(s) to the charter school’s budget; 8. Governing board receives and reviews reports (e.g., preliminary budget, first interim, second interim, unaudited actuals, audited actuals, etc.) submitted to LAUSD; 9. As a practice, the governing board discusses and resolves audit exceptions and deficiencies to the satisfaction of LAUSD; 10. There is no conflict of interest; 11. The EPA allocation and expenditures are posted on the charter school’s website; 12. The LCAP is submitted to the appropriate agencies; 13. The charter school has knowledge of any material differences amongst the preliminary budget, first interim, second interim, unaudited actuals, and audited actuals; 14. Requests for information made by the Charter Schools Division and LAUSD are processed by the charter school in a timely manner; and 15. Audited and unaudited actuals nearly mirror each other. Page 34 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 A school that meets all of the required criteria and four of the Supplemental Criteria listed below would be assessed eligible to be considered as Accomplished. SUPPLEMENTAL CRITERIA 1. Positive Net Assets exceed 4% of prior year expenditures; 2. The cash balance at the beginning of the school year is at least 5% of the prior year expenses; 3. A comprehensive website that provides at a minimum six of the following fiscal items: o Most current financial reports presented to the governing board o Employee handbook o Student handbook o Salary schedules/benefits/information o Budget development process o Governing board member information (e.g., name, contact information, position on the governing board, term expiration) and meeting dates, time, and location o The most current approved petition o Administration/school contact o School calendar o Enrollment policies and procedures o Fiscal policies and procedures manual 4. Governing board selects independent audit firm, acceptable if the independent audit firm is under a multi-year contract; 5. Fiscal reports (e.g., balance sheet, income statement, budget to actuals, cash flow statement, etc.) are presented to the governing board at each regular governing board meeting; and 6. Governing board approved LCAP is posted on the charter school’s website. A school that meets all of the required criteria and three of the Supplemental Criteria listed below would be assessed eligible to be considered as Proficient. Note: Other circumstances and information could influence the rating and will be noted in the evaluation. Note: Other circumstances and information could influence the rating and will be noted in the evaluation. FORM REV. 05/26/15 SUPPLEMENTAL CRITERIA 1. Positive Net Assets exceed 3% of prior year expenditures 2. The cash balance at the beginning of the school year is at least 4% of the prior year expenses; 3. A comprehensive website that provides at a minimum six of the following fiscal items: o Most current financial reports presented to the governing board o Employee handbook o Student handbook o Salaries schedule/benefits/information o Budget development process o Governing board member information (e.g., name, contact information, position on the governing board, term expiration) and meeting dates, time, and location o The most current approved petition o Administration/school contact o School calendar o Enrollment policies and procedures o Fiscal policies and procedures manual 4. Governing board selects independent audit firm, acceptable if the independent audit firm is under a multi-year contract; 5. Fiscal reports (e.g., balance sheet, income statement, budget to actuals, cash flow statement, etc.) are presented to the governing board at each regular governing board meeting; and 6. Governing board approved LCAP is posted on the website. Page 35 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 A school that meets all of the Required criteria and six of the supplemental criteria listed below would be assessed eligible to be considered as Developing. A school would be assessed as Unsatisfactory based on the statements below: Existing Schools (based on the most current audit): An existing school is one that has at least one annual independent audit on file with the Charter Schools Division Existing Schools (based on the most current audit): An existing school is one that has at least one annual independent audit on file with the Charter Schools Division REQUIRED CRITERIA 1. Net Assets are positive or net assets are negative with strong trend toward positive. Must be positive at the end of the third year, per applicable audit, and beyond; 2. All vendors and staff are paid in a timely manner; 3. Governing board approves Fiscal Policies and Procedures, at a minimum, every five years to correspond to the charter term; 4. Governing board adopts the annual budget; 5. The EPA allocation and expenditures are posted on the charter school’s website; 6. The LCAP is submitted to the appropriate agencies; 7. Have an audit conducted annually by an independent auditing firm; 8. As a practice, the governing board discusses and resolves audit exceptions and deficiencies to the satisfaction of LAUSD; and 9. There is no conflict of interest. A charter school is assessed as Unsatisfactory if the charter school does not meet the criteria for Developing. The charter school was given a certain period of time to address the fiscal concerns of LAUSD, but failed to provide a satisfactory response. Continued operation of a charter school that is assessed as Unsatisfactory may result to non-implementation of instructional programs as provided in the petition. The charter school also has shown no immediate source of revenue to maintain a viable budget, nor has provided a feasible financial plan to mitigate the negative fiscal condition. The charter school’s governing board members lack fiscal capacity. SUPPLEMENTAL CRITERIA 1. The cash balance at the beginning of the school year is positive 2. Enrollment is stable or changing at a manageable rate (Enrollment changes are reflected in annual budget and facilities) 3. Board selects audit firm, acceptable if the audit firm is under a multi-year contract 4. Fiscal reports to include balance sheet, income statement, budget to actuals and cash flow are presented to the board at each regular board meeting 5. Board reviews reports submitted to LAUSD 6. There is no apparent conflict of interest FORM REV. 05/26/15 Page 36 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 A school that meets all of the Required criteria and six of the supplemental criteria listed below would be assessed eligible to be considered as Developing. 7. Current audit shows no material weaknesses, deficiencies and/or findings, acceptable if the audit contained no audit exceptions or deficiencies 8. Charter school adheres to Fiscal Policies and Procedures manual 9. Board approves any amendments to the budget 10. Board approved LCAP posted on the charter school website Note: Other circumstances and information could influence the rating and will be noted in the evaluation. New Schools: 1. A new school is one that does not have an independent audit on file with the Charter Schools Division. 2. If enrollment is below the funding survey, the charter school has made significant adjustments in their operations to allow for the reduced income. 3. Projected debt is managed efficiently and will not cause the charter school to end the fiscal year with negative net assets. The non-profit organization is financially viable to support the charter school. 4. Interim reports and unaudited actuals project: a. Positive net assets b. Expenses less than receipts c. Projected expenses and receipts have no significant variance from budget 5. As a practice, the governing board receives and reviews the charter school’s financial reports as evidenced by the governing board meeting minutes. 6. The LCAP is submitted to the appropriate agencies. 7. Governing board approved LCAP is posted on the charter school’s website. 8. The EPA allocation and expenditures are posted on the charter school’s website. FORM REV. 05/26/15 A school would be assessed as Unsatisfactory based on the statements below: Note: Other circumstances and information can influence the rating and will be noted in the evaluation. New Schools: A charter school is assessed as Unsatisfactory if the charter school does not meet the criteria for Developing. A charter school was given a certain period of time to address the fiscal concerns of LAUSD, but failed to provide satisfactory response. Continued operation of a charter school that is assessed as Unsatisfactory may result to non-implementation of instructional programs as provided in the petition. The charter school also has shown no immediate source of revenue to maintain a viable budget, nor has provided a feasible financial plan to mitigate the negative fiscal condition. The charter school’s governing board members lack fiscal capacity. Page 37 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 A school that meets all of the Required criteria and six of the supplemental criteria listed below would be assessed eligible to be considered as Developing. Note: A new school is one that does not have an independent audit on file with the Charter Schools Division. New schools are evaluated based on current year information. New schools receive a rating of 1 or 2. Note: Other circumstances and information could influence the rating and will be noted in the evaluation. A school would be assessed as Unsatisfactory based on the statements below: Note: A new school is one that does not have an independent audit on file with the Charter Schools Division. New schools are evaluated based on current year information. New schools receive a rating of 1 or 2. Note: Other circumstances and information could influence the rating and will be noted in the evaluation. Fiscal Operations Quality Indicators Existing School – a charter school that has at least one annual audit on file with the Charter Schools Division [Possible Rating 1-4] New School – a charter school that does not have an audit on file with the Charter Schools Division [Possible Rating 1-2] At the site visit the charter school provides the following reports:  Financial reports presented to the Board at the last charter school board meeting o Balance Sheet o Income Statement (Statement of Activities) o Cash flow – to the end of current fiscal year and through next two fiscal years showing detailed sources of revenue and detailed expenditure lines  Minutes of meetings when financial reports are presented to the board o Budget and approval of budget o Regular financial reports at regular board meetings o Financial reports to LAUSD (preliminary budget, first interim, second interim, unaudited actual, annual audit) o Presentation of the Charter School Annual Performance Evaluation report  Fiscal Procedures Manual (approved by their board at least every 5 years to be coterminous with the charter petition, provide minutes if during current year)  Other items requested in the visitation letter  Other relevant information At the site visit the evaluator provides the following:  Financial ratios and analysis  Any confirmed complaints from vendors regarding late/non payments of debts  Any reports from LAUSD staff of late submission of required reports  Comparison of preliminary budget, first interim, second interim, unaudited actuals with the audit. Reports are used as management tools FORM REV. 05/26/15 Page 38 of 39 LAUSD CHARTER SCHOOLS DIVISION SCHOOL NAME: El Camino Real Charter High School Annual Performance-Based Oversight Visit Report DATE OF VISIT: 9/29/2015 4.1 Fiscal Soundness: Determining the fiscal soundness of the charter school. Existing Schools  Current audit (notes, findings and material weakness, others)  Results of prior/current year financial ratios  Enrollment/ADA trends of the charter  Any confirmed complaints from vendors regarding late/nonpayments of debts  Any reports from LAUSD staff of late submission of required reports  Refer to Rubric New Schools  Compare current enrollment count with the projection in the PENSEC Report  Current total debt  Current grant awards/other revenue  Based on Interim reports/Unaudited Actuals, ratio of Total Cash to Total Projected Expense  Expense and Receipts compared to Budget  Results of current year financial ratios  Any confirmed complaints from vendors regarding late/nonpayments of debts  Any reports from LAUSD staff of late submission of required reports  Refer to Rubric 4.2 Budget: Capacity of the charter school board to monitor the fiscal position of the charter school. Determination is made based on the minutes of board meetings.        The board adopts and approves a fiscal procedures handbook at least every five years to be coterminous with the term of the charter. Approved board policies are in place to monitor the implementation of the fiscal procedures. Minutes of board meetings record the board’s regular review or approval of fiscal reports. Fiscal reports include balance sheet, income statement, budget to actual, and cash flow. Minutes reflect board’s receipt, review or approval of the reports submitted to LAUSD. These reports are preliminary budget, first interim, second interim, unaudited actuals. Minutes reflect review and adoption of a budget plan for the school. The budget plan will cover the current year and the two coming years. Minutes reflect discussion and resolution of complaints received from vendors or staff. Minutes reflect selection of the audit firm. Minutes reflect discussion and resolution of audit exceptions and deficiencies that are resolved to the satisfaction of LAUSD. FORM REV. 05/26/15 Page 39 of 39