County Board of Education Hears Appeal of Clayton Valley Charter Petition

Hundreds of opponents and supporters of the Clayton Valley Charter Petition turned out to the Contra Costa County Board of Education's hearing on the appeal to the school district's denial Wednesday evening. 

Presentations were first made by teachers Pat Middendorf and Neil McChesney, who co-chair the Clayton Valley Charter Steering Committee, followed by Mount Diablo Unified School District's attorney Deb Cooksey and Chief Financial Officer Bryan Richards.

MDUSD denied the charter petition on Nov. 8 "on the grounds that petitioners are demonstrably unlikely to successfully implement the program set forth in the petition because the financial and operation plans are unrealistic," according to a PowerPoint slide presentation by Richards. 

Charter supporters, however, urged the five-member board to consider reversing the district's decision, which they say was made using inaccurate financial projections.

The board then listened to 70 two-minute speeches made by public officials, school officials, teachers and members of the community who both opposed and supported the charter petition.

The meeting, which began at 5:30 p.m. lasted four hours.

The board is expected to make a decision on the appeal on January 11, 2012.