El Camino Real Charter High School
Minutes
Special Board Meeting
Date and Time
Wednesday September 30, 2026 at 5:30 PM
Location
El Camino Real Charter High School - Media Center
5440 Valley Circle Woodland Hills CA 91367
Meeting can also be seen and heard at:
North Campus - 7401 Shoup Ave. West Hills CA 91307
ANNUAL MEETING AND REGULAR BOARD MEETING
For board meeting materials, please go to the school's main office, or call (818) 595-7500. Some board meeting materials are also posted on the school's website (https://ecrchs.net - click the ECR Board tab).
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PRESENTATIONS TO THE BOARD BY PARENTS AND OTHER MEETING ATTENDEES: El Camino Real Alliance (“ECRA”) welcomes your participation at ECRA’s Board meetings. The purpose of a public meeting of the Board of Directors (“Board”) is to conduct the affairs of ECRA in public. Your participation assures us of continuing community interest in our charter school. To assist you in the ease of speaking/ participating in our meetings, the following guidelines are provided:
PUBLIC COMMENTS
1. Agendas are available to all audience members at the door to the meeting.
2. “Request to Speak” forms are available to all audience members who wish to speak on any agenda items or under the general category of “Public Comments.” “Public Comments” is set aside for members of the audience to raise issues that are not specifically on the agenda. However, Due to public meeting laws, the Board can only listen to your issue, not respond or take action during the Public Comments periods. The Board may give direction to staff to respond to your concern or you may be offered the option of returning with a citizen-requested item.
A member of the public who requires the use of a translator, in order to receive the same opportunity as others to directly address the Board, shall be permitted twice the allotted time to speak. The Board may give direction to staff to respond to your concern or you may be offered the option of returning with a citizen-requested item.
3. You may also complete a “Request to Speak” form to address the Board on Agenda items. With regard to such agenda items, you may specify the item(s) on your “Request to Speak” form and you will be given an opportunity to speak for up to three (3) minutes before the item is addressed, and total time allocated to agenda items will not exceed six (6) minutes for a Discussion item and nine (9) minutes per Vote item. A member of the public who requires the use of a translator, in order to receive the same opportunity as others to directly address the Board, shall be permitted twice the allotted time to speak, and the total allocated time shall be appropriately increased as well.
4. When addressing the Board, speakers are requested to state their name and adhere to the time limits set forth. In order to maintain allotted time limits, the Board Chair may modify speaker time allocations or the total amount of allotted time for an item.
5. Any public records relating to an agenda item for an Open Session of the Board which are distributed to all, or a majority of all, of the Board members shall be available for public inspection at 5440 Valley Circle Blvd., Woodland Hills, California, 91367.
IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING PUBLIC COMMENTS: Effective September 2022, public comments presentations at all ECRA Regular and Special Board Meetings and at Committee Meetings must be made in person. There is no obligation on the part of the school to have a school official read public comments during in person Board Meetings. Powered by BoardOnTrack 2 of 4 A member of the public is welcome to appear at the Board meeting to make a public comment or make arrangements with another person in attendance to speak on the person's behalf.
Consent Agenda: All matters listed under the consent agenda are considered by the Board to be routine and may be approved/enacted by the Board in one motion in the form listed below. Unless specifically requested by a Board member for further discussion or removed from the agenda, there will be no discussion of these items prior to the Board votes on them. The Executive Director recommends approval of all consent agenda items.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and upon request, El Camino Real Alliance may furnish reasonable auxiliary aids and services to qualified individuals with disabilities. Requests for disability related modifications or accommodations shall be made 24 hours prior to the meeting to Emilie Larew, in person, by email at comment@ecrchs.net, or by calling (818) 595-7500.
Directors Present
Beth Corbett, Mandy Rogers, Mariellen Webster
Directors Absent
Steven Kofahl
Guests Present
Ryan Guinto
I. Opening Items
A.
Call the Meeting to Order
B.
Record Attendance and Guests
C.
Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America (USA)
D.
Public Comments
- One public comment form was received from Haley Smith.
- Haley Smith was on her way but was unfortunately unable to provide her public comment.
- No other public comments were received.
II. Governance
A.
Discuss and Vote to Elect the Board Secretary
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| Mariellen Webster |
Aye
|
| Mandy Rogers |
Aye
|
| Steven Kofahl |
Absent
|
| Beth Corbett |
Aye
|
III. School Business
A.
Discuss and Vote Resolution Authorizing Submission of Charter
- Interim Executive Director Ms. Emilie Larew discussed the Renewal Petition to the LAUSD Board of Education.
- The resolution is the same resolution presented on Thursday.
- The resolution meets all specific requirements set by LAUSD for submission.
- A Board resolution is required and must include specific information and be signed by the Board Secretary.
- The resolution identifies the required roles:
- Lead Petitioner
- Executive Director/Interim Executive Director
- Financial Representative
- Ms. Emilie Larew and Janneyra Verduzco are listed for the applicable roles.
- Legal counsel confirmed that the resolution meets the required charter school submission requirements.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| Mandy Rogers |
Aye
|
| Mariellen Webster |
Aye
|
| Beth Corbett |
Aye
|
| Steven Kofahl |
Absent
|
B.
Discuss and Vote to Approve Agreement for Financial Services
- Interim Executive Director Ms. Larew presented a proposal from Charter School Management Corporation (CSMC).
- The proposal is for part-time Chief Business Officer (CBO)-level financial support while the school does not have an on-site CBO.
- CSMC has experienced personnel who have previously worked with LAUSD as an authorizer and have charter school CBO experience.
- Provider: Charter School Management Corporation (CSMC)
- Purpose: CBO-level financial support while the school is without an on-site CBO
- Hourly Rates:
- Remote: $150/hour
- On-site: $300/hour
- Schedule: Preferred 2 days per week on campus, with remaining support provided remotely as needed
- Term: Approximately 2–3 months, potentially through the end of 2026
- Contract Conditions:
- Subject to legal review and contract approval
- CSMC to provide support as soon as the contract is finalized
- On-site support required for the PicNet review on October 26–27
- Travel time, mileage, and lodging are included in the rates
- Services are limited to CBO-level financial support and do not replace the existing back-office provider
- The proposed CBO personnel are highly experienced and appropriately credentialed.
- CSMC would provide CBO-level financial support only and would not replace the school's existing back-office service provider.
- Ms. Larew noted that this was the only timely option identified that could provide partial in-person support and was not an independent contractor the Board had previously preferred not to use.
- A formal contract had not yet been prepared; Ms. Larew requested authorization to proceed with contracting, subject to legal review.
Upcoming Financial Responsibilities
- October 15: 2025–26 Unaudited Actuals data.
- November 15: 2026–27 First Interim Report.
- December 15: Submission of 2025–26 unaudited financials to LAUSD.
- Janneyra Verduzco, Director of Accounting and Finance, emphasized the need for CBO oversight for these upcoming requirements.
- Ms. Webster noted that the CSMC support would also help carry the school through the charter renewal process and related financial documents.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| Steven Kofahl |
Absent
|
| Beth Corbett |
Aye
|
| Mandy Rogers |
Aye
|
| Mariellen Webster |
Aye
|
The board entered the closed session at 5:49 PM on the 30th of September, 2026.
IV. Reconvene to Open Session
A.
Report on Actions Taken in Closed Session, If Any
The board reconvene the open session on the 30th of September, 2026.
Ms. Rogers reported that there were no actions taken during the closed session.
- Ms. Mandy Rogers reported that the Board received a Notice of Alleged Violations from the LAUSD Charter Schools Division the previous Thursday.
- The notice represents an escalation from the Notice of Concern received by the previous Board in June 2026.
- The notice addresses alleged irregularities in the recent parent representative election.
- LAUSD specifically alleged an attempt to alter the outcome of the election, rather than simply a dispute over vote counting.
- An investigation had already been initiated by an independent technical firm before the notice was received.
- The investigation was not conducted by the Board and was not intended to influence the election outcome.
- The Board expects the investigation report this week or early next week.
- The Board has asked legal counsel to prepare a comprehensive response to the Notice of Alleged Violations.
- The Board intends to:
- Determine what happened
- Hold responsible parties accountable
- Establish controls and mechanisms to prevent similar incidents from happening again
- The Board will share as much information and its decisions publicly as permitted.
- Ms. Rogers emphasized that the Board takes the allegations seriously and does not intend to minimize them.
- The Board views the situation as an opportunity to strengthen governance, accountability, and safeguardsmoving forward.
V. Closing Items
A.
Adjourn Meeting
single voice vote
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| Mandy Rogers |
Aye
|
| Beth Corbett |
Aye
|
| Steven Kofahl |
Absent
|
| Mariellen Webster |
Aye
|
Ms. Emilie Larew led the Board members and guests in the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America (USA).