Charter Direct Technical Assistance – FAQ
CCEE Charter Direct Technical Assistance FAQ
After a charter has received Technical Assistance/Differentiated Assistance from their COE they may be eligible for DTA. A charter’s first step is connecting with its County Office of Education or Geographic Lead if the COE is the authorizer. The following Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are intended to help build an understanding of CCEE’s role as part of the CDE’s System of Support in supporting charter schools that may be eligible for CCEE support.
The System of Support is based on a tiered framework based on three levels. The first level is general assistance, which provides resources and assistance that is made available to all local educational agencies through the statewide system of support. Differentiated Assistance (DA) is the second level in which one or more agencies are required by statute to provide to LEAs that meet certain eligibility criteria. More information on Differentiated Assistance and the most updated information from the California Department of Education can be found on this website.
This FAQ is divided into five sections and will be updated throughout the year as new information becomes available.
Understanding CCEE’s Role within the Statewide System of Support
This section clarifies CCEE’s purpose within the California Statewide System of Support and the structure of technical assistance for charter schools.
Differentiated Assistance, sometimes referred to as Technical Assistance, is assistance provided under the public school accountability system as part of the LCFF legislation. This support is provided by the County Office of Education (COE) or Geographic Lead Agency (GEO).
Direct Technical Assistance may be a level 2 targeted support or level 3 intensive support that is provided in partnership with CCEE. During this time, the COE continues to provide support in the form of time and resources associated with Differentiated Assistance (DA).
When LEAs are transitioning from general assistance to a more individualized approach within Differentiated Assistance, LEAs and assistance providers may utilize other improvement strategies with the system of support. For example, LEAs receiving Differentiated Assistance may, in some cases, be referred by the assistance provider to CCEE for additional, ongoing support that is individually designed to address the LEAs performance issues (ed. code 52074(g)(1)). CCEE refers to this support as Direct Technical Assistance.
There are four pathways that may provide access to CCEE DTA, each attributed to Education codes. In all pathways, CCEE has the discretion to accept or deny the referral request.
- Pathway 1: A County Superintendent, following the provision of Technical Assistance to a charter and with approval of their Geographic Lead Agency may request support from CCEE Education code 52074(g)(1)(A).
- Pathway 2: County Superintendent Requests Assistance, the State Superintendent is Consulted and State Board Approves 47607.3(c)
- Pathway 3: State Superintendent Referral 52074(g)(1)(B)
- Pathway 4: Consultation By County Superintendent of Schools 47607.3(a)
Roles and Responsibilities of Key Partners
Covers the roles and responsibilities of County Offices of Education (COEs), Geographic Leads (GEOs), authorizers, and other partners in the DTA process.
COEs provide differentiated assistance to eligible charter schools located in their county, unless that COE is the authorizer of the eligible charter school. In that case, the Geographic Lead Agency for the COE will provide differentiated assistance.
Under Education Code 47607.3 the county superintendent of schools in which the charter school is located, in consultation with the charter school, may solicit another service provider, which may include but is not limited to, a school district, county office of education, or charter school, to act as a partner to the charter school in need of technical assistance.
If CCEE chooses to engage in providing direct technical assistance (DTA) to a charter school, the authorizer will receive updates on the work through the COE/GEO (or other TA provider) and/or from the Charter school itself.
If the charter is locally funded, the authorizer will take part in the referral process and will be a part of the charter improvement team if support is provided.
A COE or GEO, depending on the pathway of support, will be part of the referral process to CCEE and will meet regularly with CCEE staff specific to the support provided to the Charter. The COE or GEO may be asked to identify a point person to join the charter DTA team.
Eligibility, Pathways & Transition to DTA
Focused on when and how charter schools become eligible for support and the interrelationship between entities that provide differentiated assistance and technical support
In 2023, charter schools are eligible to meet the criteria in the following ways:
- Method 1 (State Indicators Only) One student group meets the criteria in at least two priority areas.
- Method 2 (local Indicators Only) Has “Not Met for Two or More Years” on a Local Indicator in at least two priority areas.
- Method 3 (A combination of State and Local Indicators) One or more student group(s) meets(s) the criteria in one priority area, and the charter school meets the “Not Met for Two or More Years” on only one local indicator in a different priority area.
Charter schools meeting the 2022 criteria, and 2023 criteria will be eligible for differentiated assistance in 2023. (2022 criteria limited to state indicators only)
| LCFF Priority Areas 1–5 | LCFF State Priority Areas 6–10 |
| Basic Priority (Priority 1)
Not Met for Two or More Years on Local Performance |
School Climate (Priority 6)
Red on Suspension Rate Indicator, or Not Met for Two or More Years on Local Performance |
| Implementation of State Academic Standards (Priority 2)
Not Met for Two or More Years on Local Performance |
Access to a Broad Course of Study (Priority 7)
Not Met for Two or More Years on Local Performance |
| Parent and Family Engagement (Priority 3)
Not Met for Two or More Years on Local Performance |
Outcomes to a Broad Course of Study (Priority 8)
Very Low Status on College and Career Indicator (Status Only on Dashboard) |
| Pupil Achievement (Priority 4)
Red on both English Language Arts and Math Indicators, or Red on English Language Arts or Math Indicators or Orange on the other Academic Indicator, or Red on the English Learner Progress Indicator (ELPI) (English Learner student group only) |
Coordination of Services for Expelled Pupils – COEs ONLY (Priority 9)
Not Met for Two or More Years on Local Performance |
| Pupil Engagement (Priority 5)
Red on Graduation Rate Indicator, or Red on Chronic Absence Indicator |
Coordination of Services for Foster Youth – COEs ONLY (Priority 10)
Not Met for Two or More Years on Local Performance |
Yes, Charters designated as a DASS can be eligible for direct technical assistance (DTA). A DASS Charter is referred to CCEE DTA through one of the four pathways described in the education code for all other charter schools.
Assembly Bill (AB) 1505 updated the options for DAAS charter schools to develop local metrics to be used alongside State dashboard metrics in the context of Differentiated Assistance (DA) or Direct Technical Assistance (DTA) provided by either the County Office of Education or CA Collaborative For Educational Excellence (CCEE).
After the Charter has been identified for DA support, the COE or GEO is responsible for providing initial DA support. If the charter declines in performance while engaging in DA and meets the criteria in Education Code Section 47607.3 (c) three or more student groups not meeting two or more LCFF Priorities for 3 of 4 consecutive years, the COE may request CCEE assistance. CCEE may, after consulting with the Superintendent and with the approval of the state board, provide advice and assistance to the charter school pursuant to Education Code section 52074.
Impact, Duration, and Outcomes of DTA
Addresses what DTA looks like in practice and how it is tailored to the charter’s context and needs.
Yes, the CCEE recognizes that charter schools may utilize innovative instructional methods and non-traditional curricula as a part of their mission. Each charter DTA pathway has its own purpose and connection to the charter’s Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) and, as such, will be incorporated as part of the support provided.
Implementation and Delivery of Support
Discusses the consequences, expectations, and timeline for receiving DTA support.
No additional state funding is provided to district LEAs or charter schools that are referred to CCEE for support. This collaborative support process is currently funded through existing funding streams. The county office of education will continue to provide support in the form of time and resources associated with Differentiated Assistance (DA).
Renewal consideration is not the intent of Pathway 1 (Ed. Code Section 52074 (g)(1)(A)), Pathway 3 (Ed. Code Section 52074 (g)(1)(B)) and Pathway 4 (Ed. Code Section 47607.3 ). Support provided to charters under these three pathways should not inform renewal decisions for charter petitions.
Only Pathway 2 (Education Code Section 47607.3(c)) has potential considerations for the renewal or revocation of a charter as referenced below:
- “(d) A chartering authority shall consider for revocation any charter school to which the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence has provided advice and assistance pursuant to subdivision (c) and about which it has made either of the following findings, which shall be submitted to the chartering authority:
(1) That the charter school has failed, or is unable, to implement the recommendations of the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence.
(2) That the inadequate performance of the charter school, based upon an evaluation rubric adopted pursuant to Section 52064.5, is either so persistent or so acute as to require revocation of the charter.
e) The chartering authority shall consider increases in pupil academic achievement for all pupil subgroups served by the charter school in determining whether to revoke the charter.”
This is not the case for charter DTA Pathways 1, 3 or 4.
Charter DTA will vary depending on the pathway identified for support, but the DTA process will not span beyond one academic year.
Pathways 1, 3, and 4 are intended to provide support to the charter irrespective of its progress towards improvement or its renewal process.
If a charter school has received DTA support from CCEE under Pathway 2 (Education Code Section 47607.3(c)), and the performance of the charter school is persistent or so acute, CCEE may find that the charter school has failed or is unable to implement the recommendations. In this case, according to 47607.3(d) a chartering authority shall consider the charter school for revocation.
Again, such a finding would not apply for Pathways 1, 3 or 4, irrespective of the charter school’s progress or lack thereof under DTA.