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San Mateo County Charter Schools

Charter schools are independent public schools which are generally exempt from Education Code provisions governing school districts. There is no cost to attend a charter school and they are open to all students. Like traditional public schools, charters receive state funding based on a formula for each child enrolled in the school. It is the intent of the Legislature to provide opportunities for teachers, parents, pupils, and community members to establish and maintain schools that operate independently from the existing school district structure. (Ed. Code 47601.)

Charter Petitions Pending Review

Petition Public Hearing Staff Report and Recommendations Decision Hearing
Oceanlight Charter Petition October 22, 2025

Staff Analysis and Recommendations

Draft Memorandum of Understanding

 December 17, 2025

Petitioning to Establish a Charter School

Parents, teachers, or community members may initiate a petition to establish a charter school, which must be authorized by a local school district, or a county office of education, or the State Board of Education. The charter is a contract detailing the charter school's mission, program, goals, students served, methods of assessment, and ways to measure success. The law grants chartering authority to county boards of education and the State Board of Education under certain circumstances, such as the appeal of a petition’s denial by a school district governing board or the direct approval of countywide benefit or statewide benefit charter schools.

The San Mateo County Board of Education is committed to treating all charter petitions fairly and in accordance with the law. The Board cannot approve or deny a charter petition based on its philosophical belief about charter schools, any perceptions about how well the school district is meeting the needs of its students, the potential impact a charter school would have on the other educational programs of the district or the district's facilities, or whether the charter school will negatively affect school funding, etc. Each charter petition submitted to the Board will be approved or denied based upon the criteria set forth in the law and the Board's regulations.

Petition Submission Process

A charter petitioner wishing to apply to the County Board of Education after having a charter petition denied by a San Mateo County school district must submit the following documents not later than 30 calendar days after the district's denial:

  • Charter Petition: Petitioners are reminded they may not modify the petition as it was submitted to the local school district, except as necessary to reflect the County Board as the chartering entity.
  • Charter Petition Requirement Checklist: Petitioners shall review their charter petition and indicate the page number(s) for each item. This form should be used in both instances of (1) district petition appeals, and (2) direct petitions to the SMBOE for charter schools aimed at serving SMCOE students. 
  • Appeal Petitioner Certification Form: Petitioners shall sign this form stating their petition is deemed complete and ready for submission to the County Office of Education for review based on any of the two instances above.

A charter wishing to apply to the County Board of Education for a countywide charter school petition must submit the following documents: 

  • Charter Petition: Petitioners are encouraged to review County Board Policy 0420.4-Authorization of County Charter Schools to ensure that all requirements of a countywide charter petition are met.
  • Countywide Charter Petition Requirement Checklist: Petitioners shall review their charter and indicate the page number(s) for each item.
  • Countywide Petitioner Certification Form: Petitioners shall sign this form stating their petition is deemed complete and ready for submission to the County Office of Education for review based on the conditions of a countywide petition.

For reference, petitioners may review the California Department of Education (CDE), Charter Schools Division webpage, the SMCOE District Appeal Charter Petition Review Matrix, and the SMCOE Countywide Charter Petition Review Matrix. 

Under normal circumstances, the San Mateo County Board of Education will hold a public hearing on the provisions of the charter within 60 calendar days of receipt of the complete charter petition application and will approve or deny the charter within 90 calendar days, or within 120 days with the consent of both the petitioner and the County Board encourages petitioners to avoid submitting a petition during major holiday periods. 

All charters authorized by the San Mateo Board of Education are expected to enter in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Monitoring and Oversight. Petitioners are encouraged to review the SMCOE MOU template.

Legal Reference: Education Code 47605 et seq. Establishment of Charter Schools

Charter Petition Non-Renewal Appeals

If a school district denies the renewal of a school’s charter, an appeal may be filed to the San Mateo County Board of Education.  Please complete the Charter School Non-Renewal Appeal Application linked below:

Charter School Non-Renewal Appeal Application

Charter Schools Authorized by SMCOE

 Oxford Day Academy Charter School