How can I help?

The best way you can help is to show your support for the school by staying active, attending school board meetings (ESPECIALLY the January 14th school board meeting at 3:30PM and 6:00PM for public comment), and sending emails to the school board members to tell them you want OCSCS to be part of our community and school district and you want OCSCS to succeed! Additionally, you can sign our petition stating your support for the OCSCS charter revision so OCSCS can compete for grant funding.

Another way you can support the school that will be even more special for the teachers and students at OCSCS is to reach out to your favorite Innovation Lab teacher or the campus and ask what materials they need. Since much of the consumables in the labs have been funded by thousands of dollars of the teachers personal funds, they will greatly appreciate seeing that the community is vested in their mission and goals!

I have seen a lot of information from the PYLUSD Buzz Facebook group that claims there are a lot of undesirable things happening at OCSCS, are they true?

No. The PYLUSD Buzz group is not affiliated by or endorsed by the district or campus. This Facebook group is presumed to be run by a disgraced former principal who has a vendetta against the district. This Facebook group becomes a sounding board for her and the teacher’s union and spreads falsehoods about OCSCS without having direct knowledge of what is actually happening on the campus to further their own vendettas and agendas.

I have heard that OCSCS is trying to become a private charter, is that true?

Absolutely not! OCSCS’s proposed charter amendment does NOT convert OCSCS into a private charter. OCSCS will remain a PYLUSD PUBLIC school. The purpose of the revision is to change the funding model to match other public charter schools in nearby school districts, such as El Rancho in the Orange Unified School District. In fact, of the 47 charter schools in Orange County, OCSCS is the ONLY one that does not operate with this autonomous budget structure.

I have also heard that this charter amendment takes away all oversight for what happens at OCSCS, is that true?

Again, no, this is also part of a misinformation campaign that is spearheaded by the teacher’s union. The amendment to the OCSCS charter establishes a charter board, just like El Rancho (click to learn more). All charter board meetings are public information. Additionally, the charter amendment calls for independent audits of OCSCS expenditures on an annual basis.

I am currently zoned for my child to attend OCSCS. Does this change with the amendment?

No, since OCSCS remains a PYLUSD school, your home school does not change.

Does this charter amendment take money away from other schools in the district?

The charter amendment changes the OCSCS funding model such that the average daily attendance (ADA) funds are directly allocated to OCSCS. While this may sound like it takes funds away from the district, the vast majority of the OCSCS ADA funds go directly to fixed costs. Approximately 80% of the OCSCS budget goes directly to salaries and a significant amount of what is left is allocated to other fixed costs. These fixed costs will be spent in the same manner regardless of this proposed amendment. Likely less than 10% of OCSCS’s ADA funds could be considered as discretionary funds even under the current operating model.

If less than 10% of the funds are discretionary funds, then why do we need this amendment?

This amendment is absolutely critical for the future funding of the OCSCS campus. The State of California has made available grant money to support charter schools. Each campus awarded one of these grants could receive up to $2-3 million in additional funding. Unfortunately, the current charter funding model DISQUALIFIES OCSCS from applying for these grants. This proposed amendment changes the funding model of the charter school to make OCSCS eligible for these additional funds.

Does this amendment benefit PYLUSD?

ABSOLUTELY! This amendment allows OCSCS to attract students outside of the district into the district. Many of the students enrolled in local private schools move to public school during the middle school years. Many of these students migrate to El Rancho in Orange Unified School District. Having a stable and well-funded middle school in PYLUSD brings these students as well as nearby students with deep interests in technology into PYLUSD. That increases the enrollment in the district and provides a funnel for the PYLUSD high school programs, including Val Tech.

Additionally, the State of California is expected to be entering a fiscally tight few years. Bringing funds into PYLUSD schools can benefit the district and their employees by increasing the likelihood of financial stability.

How does the Universal Sports Institute (USI) fit into this picture?

USI will be managed under the same structure as OCSCS, where funds allocated to USI will be used for USI.

Will USI be able to take funds away from OCSCS?

No. Funding for USI and OCSCS will be maintained separately. This means that ADA funds allocated to OCSCS or grants awarded to OCSCS will only be used for OCSCS. The same is true in the other direction. Funds allocated to USI or grants awarded to USI will only be used to support USI.