Our Charter & LCAP
San Diego Cooperative Charter School is operating with a Charter status from the San Diego Unified School District; we were approved and endorsed by the district in September 2001.
What is a Charter School
Charter schools are public schools that may provide instruction in grades kindergarten through 12. Charter schools are usually created or organized by a group of parents, teachers and other educators, and community leaders or community-based organizations. An existing public school board usually authorizes charter schools. The specific goals and operating procedures for a charter school are detailed in the agreement (or “charter”) between the board and the organizers. A school charter is typically granted for five years; during its term, the school must meet all the student performance and operational goals listed in its charter, or the charter may be revoked.
The key objectives of a charter school is to:
- Provide alternative choices for parents and students within the public school system with more innovative and immersive learning opportunities.
- Stimulate competition in the educational market.
To meet these objectives, charter schools are granted increased autonomy in exchange for increased accountability for results. We set a higher standard of education that prepares learners for college and a career while also shaping them into well rounded, empathetic, and curious human beings.
San Diego Cooperative Charter School is proud to be a part of the greater San Diego educational community. Along with our community, we hope to guide the next generation of change makers to turn ideas and dreams into good for our world.
DOWNLOAD DOCUMENT: OUR CHARTER
We are thrilled to announce that San Diego Cooperative Charter School has been awarded a 6-year charter renewal! (2025 through 2031) This incredible achievement is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our entire community—students, teachers, staff, families, and supporters. Together, we’ve built a school that values progressive education, embraces diversity, and nurtures each child’s unique potential. This renewal ensures that we will continue our mission of providing a nurturing, inclusive, and innovative learning environment for years to come.
Constructivism
In the Constructivist classroom, both teacher and students think of knowledge not as inert factoids to be memorized, but as a dynamic, ever-changing view of the world we live in and the ability to successfully stretch and explore that view.
In Constructivist classrooms, curriculum emphasizes big concepts, beginning with the whole and expanding to include the parts.
- Pursuit of student questions, curiosity and interests is valued
- Materials include primary sources and manipulative materials
- Learning is interactive, building on what the student already knows
- Teachers have a dialogue with students, helping students construct their own knowledge
- Assessment includes student works, observations, and points of view, as well as tests
- Process is as important as product
- Knowledge is seen as dynamic, ever changing with our experiences
- Students work primarily in groups
Multiage
Multiage education is the intentional grouping of children of different ages, abilities, and emotional maturity in the same classroom. Students in our program are continually regrouped for different learning activities rather than being consistently segregated by chronological age. Within these structures, children progress along a continuum of simple to more complex material at their own rates, making continuous progress rather than being “promoted” to the next grade at the end of a school year. In multiage programs, students typically stay with their teacher for two to three years. With the beginning of each new school year, one-half to two-thirds of the students from the previous year’s class remain together, with only the oldest students entering new classes.
LCAP Information
What is the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP)
As part of the State’ s Local Control Funding Formula, school districts, county offices of education and charter schools in California are required to develop, adopt, and annually update a three-year Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) using a template adopted by the California State Board of Education (SBE).
The LCAP is required to identify annual goals, specific actions, and measure progress for student subgroups across multiple performance indicators, including student academic achievement, school climate, student access to a broad curriculum, and parent engagement. School Districts are required to obtain parent and public input in developing, revising and updating LCAPs.
The academic priorities must be aligned to the District’ s spending plan. The local governing board must first approve the LCAP before adopting the annual district budget. County Superintendents must review school district LCAPs and ensure alignment of projected spending, services, and goals. County Offices of Education are required to provide technical assistance when they disapprove an LCAP. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction may intervene if a school district fails to show improvement across multiple subgroups in three out of four consecutive years.
The SDCCS’ LCAP will be written and developed with input from parents, staff, students and community members and will describe how we plan to address the state’s eight priority areas for the education of our students:
- Student Achievement
- Other Student Outcomes
- Course Access
- Implementation of State Standards
- Parent Involvement
- Student Engagement
- School Climate
- Basic Services
Download: 2024-2025 LCAP (Local Control and Accountability Plan)
Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA)
The Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) identifies and addresses the instructional needs of students and specifies how categorical funds provided through the Consolidated Application will be used to accomplish the goals outlined in the plan. State guidelines require that the SPSA must:
- Identify site-specific achievement goals based on a variety of student performance data.
- Describe specific instructional strategies to accelerate student learning.
- Describe the ways in which student progress will be monitored on a regular basis.
- Identify interventions for students not achieving.
- Determine the necessary professional development for staff.
- Delineate strategies for parent communication and engagement.
- Reflect estimated costs and funding sources.
- Involve consultation with other site advisory groups.
State regulations require that the School Site Council (SSC) be the group responsible for developing and revising the SPSA in collaboration with the site instructional leadership team. Ongoing consultation with site advisory groups about student performance data, student needs, identified goals, appropriate interventions/preventions, and associated budgets is an integral part of the development and monitoring of the SPSA. (Ed Code 64001)