A petition to implement the Parent Trigger Law was submitted in mid-January, and officials will have most of February to verify signatures or face the possible takeover of a local school.
On January 14, organizers dedicated to using the Parent Trigger Law to convert a low-scoring schools in the Anaheim City School District into an independently run charter school submitted a petition to that effect.
Parents are not trying to close the school but rather to transform it into one in which their children will receive a better education. A grassroots effort such as this one requires considerable organizing and usually require the services of a flyer printing service.
This law has never been utilized in Orange County before now and requires a minimum of 50% of a school’s students’ parents to enable change to be mandated. The organizers say they gathered 66% of Palm Lane Elementary School students’ parents’ signatures.
Following the submission of their petition, a public announcement was made at a gathering of parents and organizers in a park behind the school. In attendance were Assemblywoman Young Kim, former state Sen. Gloria Romero, and a representative of Sen. Bob Huff. Romero and Huff shared sponsorship of the law and have been assisting the parents.
Following the 40 days of signature verification, the district will be given 45 days to come to an agreement with parents about their concerns.
