If your child is enrolled in a California public school, there’s a two-in-three chance they can’t read or do math at grade level. According to the state’s own 2023 test scores, just 34.6% of students met math standards, and only 46.7% met English standards. Millions of children are being failed by a system that continues to demand more money while delivering less.
But the crisis goes beyond academics. Since the government-mandated lockdowns, our children’s mental health has deteriorated at alarming rates. Depression, anxiety, and even youth suicide are rising. Families were left to pick up the pieces. Sacramento never apologized—never even acknowledged the damage.
So it’s no surprise that more than 700,000 students now attend charter schools in California. These schools provide smaller class sizes, real support for special needs and at-risk kids, and programs tailored to how children actually learn. For many families, charter schools and homeschooling aren’t just options—they’re the only option.
Instead of learning from the success of these models, some Democrats in Sacramento are trying to shut them down. AB 84, introduced by Los Angeles-area Democrat Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi, is being sold as a reform bill to crack down on fraud. In truth, it’s the latest in a long line of Sacramento’s power grabs, aimed squarely at charter schools, homeschooling families, and parents who dare to seek alternatives.
AB 84 would slash up to 30% of funding from schools that provide hybrid, non-traditional, or home-based education models. These aren’t fraudulent schools—they’re innovative and adaptive schools that serve students the traditional system has failed. AB 84 isn’t accountability—it’s punishment.
The bill also creates a new Inspector General office, appointed by the governor and unaccountable to voters. It gives this office broad powers to audit and investigate charter schools, and triples oversight fees—from 1% to 3% of each school’s budget. That’s money directly taken from classrooms, teachers, and students.
It gets worse. AB 84 bans charter schools from partnering with local businesses, religious nonprofits, or community groups. It imposes one-size-fits-all credential requirements, despite a statewide teacher shortage. It strips away flexibility and guts the very programs that make charter schools work for families.
Last year, I introduced SB 1409, a good-faith effort to strengthen oversight while protecting innovation. It brought stakeholders together—charter leaders, auditors, and state officials. But it was blocked before it even received a hearing. Why? Because real reform isn’t the goal. Control is.
Thankfully, there is a bill with a balanced alternative, SB 414. This bill ensures auditors understand charter school models, limits funding cuts to actual cases of wrongdoing, and provides transparency without crushing innovation. California parents deserve better than a legislature that punishes them for choosing what’s best for their children. AB 84 doesn’t fight fraud—it fights freedom.
Let’s be honest: Sacramento doesn’t fear mismanagement. It fears competition. It fears an independent, choice-driven education system that works—and proves the state-run model doesn’t. As a parent and a former educator, I will not stand by while your parental rights are stripped away and our children’s futures are sacrificed for political power.
Parents: your voice matters. Your vote matters. Stand up for your right to choose the best education for your child. Because the Sacramento establishment won’t.