Charter schools are public schools as defined by federal and state law. They must meet the same academic standards that all public schools are required to meet. Charter schools are:
Tuition-free and open to all students
Non-sectarian and do not discriminate on any basis
Publicly funded by local, state, and federal tax dollars based on enrollment
Held accountable to state and federal academic standards
Subject to ongoing oversight by the authorizing district
Required to complete an annual independent financial audit
How are public funds allocated to charter schools?
In California, public school funding follows the student, with the funding going to the public school the parents choose, whether a public charter school or a traditional district school. When public charter schools are funded, there is no overall loss of public school money because charter schools are public schools.
Are our teachers credentialed?
Yes. As required by California law, OCCA complies with all teacher credentialing requirements.
Do you serve students with special needs?
Yes. OCCA provides special education services and is open to all students irrespective of their needs. OCCA partners with El Dorado County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) to provide programs necessary to serve the individualized educational needs of our students.
Who can attend?
As a school of choice, OCCA is open to any student who wants to attend, regardless of where he or she lives, space permitting.
What are the vaccination requirements for attending OCCA?
OCCA is a public charter school. As such, the vaccination requirements to attend OCCA are identical to any other public school in California. These requirements, including exemption procedure, can be viewed here.
Do siblings get priority enrollment?
Yes. Siblings of enrolled scholars receive priority admission.
What foreign languages will be offered?
In 6th grade OCCA begins formal study of Latin. Prior to that, Greek and Latin word roots are included in language study. Latin is extremely beneficial for deepening our scholars’ understanding of English and grammar, as well as logic and clarity. Latin scholars will have a strong advantage in pursuing any foreign language study, especially the “romance languages” of Spanish, French, and Italian.
We may offer other foreign language options in our future high school program, but we do not have plans to offer more languages in elementary or middle school, in order to stay true to our mission and vision of Classical Education. However, families interested in particular languages, such as Spanish or Mandarin, are encouraged to seek out one another. If there are enough families who would commit to an after-school language program, we will work to create one.
Can parents volunteer?
We encourage parent involvement, and parents will have many opportunities to volunteer and be included at OCCA, including in the classroom. We will also be encouraging parents to help turn their passions or hobbies into extra-curricular activities for OCCA scholars. Classroom involvement requires legal security procedures, including parent training, TB tests, fingerprinting, and informing all OCCA families of the list of classroom parents. Parents will be informed of the first training opportunity before school begins.
Will you offer before and after school care?
Yes. We are committed to having early drop-off and after school programs. Details are here.
Will you have a GATE program?
OCCA IS COMMITTED TO EDUCATING STUDENTS WHO HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR EXCELLENCE BEYOND THAT OF THEIR SAME-AGE PEERS. EACH CLASSROOM’S CURRICULUM MAY BE DIFFERENTIATED TO PROVIDE ACCELERATION, DEPTH, AND COMPLEXITY. WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT OUR CURRICULUM AND THE CLASSICAL MODEL OF TEACHING ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE COMPELLING LESSONS THAT WILL FOSTER WONDER AND DEEP ENGAGEMENT. OCCA WILL NOT HAVE A TRADITIONAL GATE PROGRAM. THE TYPICAL GATE PROGRAM IS OFTEN A LIMITED AVENUE FOR GIFTED EDUCATION. WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT PROVIDING OCCASIONAL “PULL-OUTS” IS THE BEST MODEL FOR HELPING GIFTED STUDENTS ACHIEVE THEIR POTENTIAL. INSTEAD, TEACHERS WORK TOGETHER AND WITH ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL, CHALLENGING, AND EXTENDED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ENCOURAGE A LOVE FOR LEARNING.
What does “Rigorous” mean?
“Rigorous” is a word often used by classical schools to describe their curriculum and environment. If you look up this word it can be a little confusing. Some definitions will include “rigid,” which certainly doesn’t apply to classical education. However, a flexible and curious mind is an important goal. “Harsh” might also come up, and that isn’t right either. OCCA is committed to teaching a robust curriculum and moral virtue as a central expectation. Parents should be clear that OCCA will provide a rigorous school environment, both in terms of academic and behavioral standards. We will expect effort and dedication from our scholars and staff. Children and adults have different strengths, and although we do not expect perfection, we will endeavor to cultivate a love for high standards in all of our scholars and staff.
One of our children is the appropriate age to enroll in OCCA, but another child is too old. Is there anything you can do?
In 2021-22 we will offer K-6, and expand upward one grade per year until we reach K-12. This is a typical model for a charter school. However, we understand that families with multiple children would, of course, want to give all of their children the advantages of OCCA, and that it is a difficult decision to split children between different school environments.
