A proposal to open a college-prep charter school in Rocklin was denied Thursday night – this time by the Placer County Board of Education.
The Rocklin Unified School board had already denied the proposal twice this year.
Officials with Rocklin Academy, the petitioner for the charter school, have said they will appeal the denials to the State Board of Education.
Rocklin Academy wants to open a charter school for students in seventh through 12th grades on the Rocklin High School or Whitney High School campus. A charter school is a public school that requires authorization from a local school board, county board of education or the state.
Rocklin Unified trustees said the petition for Western Sierra Collegiate Academy failed to provide a sound fiscal budget and meet other legal requirements.
Rocklin Academy appealed the school board's decision to the county office of education, and county staff recommended approval as long as the academy met conditions that include a list of standards to be taught at each grade level and working with the district on a facility plan.
Thursday's vote, before a standing-room-only crowd in Auburn, was split – with three county trustees in favor of the petition and three opposed. According to the board's legal counsel, the petition required a majority vote to be approved.
The board's seventh member was absent.
Nearly 50 people spoke at Thursday's meeting. Opponents said the academy would negatively affect whichever campus it's located on, causing overcrowding and adding seventh- and eighth-graders to a high school campus.
Supporters said the charter school would give families another choice and would eventually move to its own campus.
"I think it's unfortunate this board has to get in the middle of this," said Trustee Rich Colwell. He referred to Proposition 39, approved by California voters in 2000 to require school districts to provide "reasonably equivalent" facilities for charter schools serving district students.
Call The Bee's Walter Yost, (916) 321-1146.
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