the languages here in the charter application rather than in the district? >> there is always a section in the petition itself that would describe it. with the understanding of what the district's policy is and what procedures are. >> we have that language and we have discovered that the language is, in fact, in some other mlu's. the language has to be amended and clean up as the charter's come before the district. it has to be consistent with the language of the petition. it should be clear to stay in that it is in the district of the discretion whether or not we want to allow such a concession. commissioner norton: you know, this is a tough one for me. i did support this petition at

the curriculum committee. i felt this was -- there were some good things happening for kids. i also did not support a petition when the board voted on february 8 because of the deficiencies in the budget. i still continue to see that they want the best for kids. i have got an e-mail from families that believe this is a good program for kids. i was trying to think, i don't remember and the time that i have been on the board that i have seen the staff recommended denying a renewal before this one. it has happened since you have been on the board? [talking over each other]

a renewal petition does seem to have a different standard from the staff. it does make me think very seriously when i have recommendation for the nile. -- denial. i'm just sort of talking out loud, i think. i am troubled by some of the budget deficiencies that have identified. i know that we are all facing an absolute terrible budget outlook. this is a very tough one for me. president mendoza: before we continue, there is a lot of chatter going on. if you don't mind taking your conversation outside, that is great. it is hard for us to concentrate on what is happening with all of the chatter in the back.

commissioner murase: i have questions for staff. what is the length of the proposed charter? what is the time line in the next couple of months? i want to understand the universe of options. if we reject, there is an opportunity to apply for a state charter? are we talking about his standing a school? what the consequences of that? there is such a thing as a provisional charter. they point out that they can benefit from several months of working back and forth with the community. gosh i can certainly answer the first question, the term being requested. customary is five years for renewal.

the next question, was that the provisional question? timeline. it was requested by may 10, only knowing that therir may board meeting was 11 and 12. a fast track to the state board for final decision. this is based on the recommendation of the state charter school division. the final one, i would pass over to legal. >> it requires a five-year renewal. president mendoza: commissioner maufas and commissioner fewer. commissioner maufas: i don't

expect an answer because we are in the process of discussing this. as you can see, we are in the midst of a bit of a struggle with questions and process. because renewal seems inappropriate, it just is. you look like a new entity trying to start off using the same name, but you are doing something different than the previous associations. because this renewal has constrictions, we are restricted by that. the idea of renewing for five years is not something that i would be in favor of. as you are trying to get traction on what you're trying to do, there is a learning curve to do it on your own. i think we desperately need the help of the district and i don't think you can get it in the

five-year plan. that means you do something without really coming back and getting assistance. my question is, is there a possibility when they are sent back to us to reapply? is that in the mix at all? are we still wrangling the application -- renewing the application period? you're shaking your head yes. >> our obligation is to follow the procedures and protocols with and the renewal process. we have to focus on the issue at hand and the review parameters. yes, we have to stick to the renewal process.

commissioner fewer: i don't see this as a renewal, i see this as a new school. we have charter positions before us. we have responsibility that is going to be sound -- they are struggling around this decision. perhaps they did not have ample time to discuss the budget and financial issues. as chair of the budget committee, i would suggest that if you're feeling so conflicted about it, i would be willing to

call an emergency budget committee meeting if other members of my committee are agreeable also. to have a more in-depth conversation on it. i realize we are a lot of very short time line. i don't think we can add anything on to lead. >> you need an answer by may 10 . commissioner fewer: you need it by the 10 or on the 10? >> for the state to agendize, tehhey need it by the 10th.

their meeting is the 11th and 12th of may. commissioner fewer: we have another meeting may 3. we could vote at that meeting if you wanted to agendize it. the budget committee would have to meet asap on this. >> could you call a special meeting after the meeting which has already been noticed? >> the 28th you mean? may 3? >> you would have your budget meeting prior and we would have a special meeting after the

closed session. >> when would we hear this item at the budget committee meeting? >> it would be a special budget meeting. >> you can have any meeting you like at any point, you just need 24 hours to post an agenda. from a brown act perspective, if you chose to do that, you can post the special meeting at a few want. >> correct me if i am wrong, is that 24 hours' notice? we could notice a special

meeting after our budget meeting on the twenty eighth and be here until midnight? is that correct? so i'm just going to put that out there. if members of the budget committee wants to augment that, they can view the full to order. -- charter. >> it is a special ed redesign meeting. we have a closed session to talk about employee layoffs. it will be a long night. i would like a yes or no vote and not a lot of discussion. but providing information in the

meeting to have a very clear and distinct a session. that was my children telling me what to say. >> i accept the recommendation to have a special meeting on thursday. >> we are not adding this item to the existing budget agenda, but we would be calling a special meeting right after. that would be the whole board, it would be a special meeting? it doesn't matter. we would vote on may 3. the only worry i have about may 3, i always worried about special ed not getting the time that it needs.

if we can do that peace first and if we have to do a vote after, i want to do the special ed first on that agenda. >> this would be at the end. >> just a concern. i know what our timeline is. may 3, which is a week before the tenth, may not -- i'm not certain one week is enough time to fast-track an agenda item. i would have to check. this is why we tried to get this decision compressed in this way tonight.

>> if i am unable to do that, i will. i certainly will. >> since we are talking about a special meeting on thursday for the board, why can't we just vote after this discussion at the special meeting on thursday? >> we are talking about a special meeting of not the full board, but the budget committee [unintelligible] >> again, this is just a suggestion. >> so does everybody understand what the option is in order to give the board members of little bit more time to have a discussion around the budget peace? he would have a regular budget meeting on the twenty eighth, we would have a special meeting right after to discuss this one

item. it would be brought on may 3 half of the committee as a whole meeting for final vote? is there a question about what the proposed timeline is? this is provided that the state would be willing to put this on their agenda and willing to address in it if need be. >> just a point of clarification. what is supposed to take place and before that? -- take place before that? they can come and answer the questions that have been stated here? that is the purpose that comes to the budget meeting for the presentation. is it to clarify those things? >> did you have any opportunity to have dialogue with edison? as you were making

recommendations, it did not sound like that happened. >> not with edison, certainly. this is the second immediate tim e we've reviewed their budget. he has certainly been the case that if there was a deficiency identified, where one thing was corrected, it went back and forth. because the petitions are supposed to be complete perfected a, when they come to us, we have not had the back and forth to do that. if we had unlimited time and staff to do that.

>> so the only chance was when a clarification can on the actual verses' rounding it out. >> if i am looking at something like this and looking at an average, it takes away those kind of things. it is not the maximum amount for every individual person. they take into account how many people use their wives health insurance and independent, so what and so forth. this is based on how many people are to the health insurance and how many people are not. these are the kinds of thing is where if the assumption is not put forward in a clear way,

we're going to have some issues about that. that is what we tried to move on. >> i just wanted to expand on nancy's comment. the groups that have clarified during that time, it is essentially the same process tonight. we made a budget report, we provided the opportunity to ask questions to the petitioner group tonight. even though it is taking place in one night, it is similar to past processes. >> that is a little concerning. >> i just wanted to add for consistency purposes, the education code is very clear on the timeline. we need either process new charters or old charters.

it is very strict. the goal of the outline, part of the reason why we had all this confusion with the state board of education was precisely because we were getting things piecemeal. the charter petitions in illegally compliant manner, the entry of the charter of the same if we allow some charters to submit a complete petition and others to submit an incomplete information, as a matter of practice, they require them to be complete in order to trigger the statute. >> if we go through the process that we are about to agree upon, are we going to allow them to respond and complete their questions prior to our meeting on the third? order early not allowed to do that because we don't allow that to other charters?

>> other charters have the ability to offer clarifying information, but they can submit a supplemental information. -- they can't submit supplemental information. if they submit a different budget, you would be treating this charter different than you have others. >> but they can provide an explanation to the board? commissioner yee: i was just going to say again, earlier, i am uncomfortable. it is not for me to say that the staff is wrong, they did the analysis. there were some issues with it. but in the budget committee, when we heard these issues, petitioners will try to explain

what is meant and so forth. we had a lot more time to digest that information. there would be times when that doesn't make any sense. it makes sense. as we move forward with the petition, there is the sort of explanation. we ask them to tweak a few things to make sure that, under their petition, everything is going to be fine with us. that a sort of the previous practice. -- is sort of the previous practice. if they can explain the logic behind the differences, that would be really helpful. commissioner maufas: i'm sorry. i want to support them coming to the budget committee.

it is different. we are televised. we are on the radio. just the environment is different. i think that provides a little more opportunity to have somewhat more of a dialogue with the board members. for us to be more free in our questions as well, i feel very constricted by this environment and trying to discuss with them what the concerns are that i have. i have truncated all of my questions based on our environment today. i think a committee meeting is a much more appropriate environment to have those discussions with them. it doesn't reflect on you, miss richards. it would be a minimal -- amenable to putting that on the agenda considering we are going to great lengths to do what they have asked us to do. commissioner fewer: one last

comment. since we are televised, i just wanted to say that it is disturbing that these numbers don't coincide with the numbers that you had. i think they add up to quite a difference over 3 1/4 years -- 3 or 4 years. i don't think that i think that the idea that we are projecting for the future means we are basing it on the past. the idea that some teachers don't take benefits, some do, that is not, to me, a very sound financial planning. sound financial planning is that you have this many, you assume that you have to pay this much in health benefits.

it isn't a big amount every year, but the amount adds up. over five years, that amount will be in excess of $250,000. that is enough to make the school not successful. i just wanted to say that before i get clarification and a confirmation of exactly what is going on. people at home listening can understand what our new process is going to be. correct me if i am wrong, we will have a special meeting of the budget committee augmented meaning that all board members may attend. we will take a vote at that time. they will vote to approve or not approve the charter renewal. and we will have hah -- that after the budget meeting on the twenty eighth. that will start at about 7:30 or

8:00. we will have the full vote of the board on may 3. is that correct? after the committee as a whole. the vote on the twenty eighth is the budget committee's recommendation only. in may 3 will be the full board. everybody clear? gray. -- great. if you have to. [laughter] >> just a point of clarification, do we have to make a recommendation to postpone this bill? president mendoza: with regards to this item, we want to postpone the so which is heard on may 3. there will be the interim budget

meeting. how do i need a vote on that? we will have a final vote on the denial of this charter. any questions? thank you all very much for this very lively conversation. item i is a board member's proposals. item j. a. request to speak on general matters. -- a request to speak on general matters. many of you have been waiting patiently for this item. i will call your name. a police lineup. we have probably lost a few people.

i have over 35 speakers speaking tonight. i am going to ask you keep your comments to a minute and a half. there are a lot of you speaking on very common items, so if you can be generous to all of us and say something different or keep your comments brief and not use up your entire time, that would be great. is the family still here? that's you back there. i only have speaker cards for a couple of you. there are students in the audience that are speaking? are there any students in the audience that are speaking? a couple. are you speaking on the r.l.

stevenson matter? the lincoln high school musuic one. i will have you guys come up. i will have you guys come up. the r.l. stevenson family, there are a couple of you on that. [reads names] and then tim collins, craig hollin, olivia hendrix, diane gomez,.

[reads names] come on up. start lining up so i can see who you are. [reads names] and then we're going to have mike powell, mario ballard, hillary jensen and pam hoffman. [reads names] how many cec? where's maryann? just two of you? ok, thank you. [