After efforts on the part of both school district officials and Santa Barbara Charter School directors, the board voted Tuesday to approve the elementary school’s revised renewal petition with certain conditions, eliciting cheers from a sizable audience. The board’s decision to renew the five-year contract comes after nearly two months of packed board meetings, dozens of eager public commenters, and several discussions. Trustees’ initial concerns — largely addressed in the appendix of a 545-page document — centered on the Charter School’s test scores, ethnic makeup, financial projections, lottery process, and Common Core State Standards transition plan. Staff’s recommendations clarify that if certain conditions are not implemented — including an increase in academic performance of its population subgroups — the district could revoke the charter.
