Merger of Two Organizations Would Create California’s Largest Charter School Operation (CA)

March 30, 2011

Two of the state’s largest charter school organizations are in talks to merge, raising questions about the future of their 33 campuses and the local charter movement. Such a partnership could cr eate the largest charter school operation in California, and one of the nation’s biggest with 12,000 students.

Negotiations are underway between financially struggling ICEF Public Schools and Alliance College-Ready Public Schools, both based in Los Angeles. Word of a looming deal emerged at a San Diego charter-school convention this week in remarks by former L.A. Mayor Richard Riordan, who has served on the boards of both organizations.

In a later speech on Wednesday to the same gathering, current Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa exhorted charter schools to take charge of more low-performing traditional schools, accept greater numbers of harder-to-educate students and support the closing of low-performing charters.