SEQUOIA

Sequoia Union High School District (Sequoia) appeals a judgment granting a peremptory writ of mandate that commands Sequoia to provide Aurora Charter High School (Aurora) educational facilities sufficient to accommodate the Aurora students who live in the Sequoia district. Sequoia contends it is not responsible for providing the facilities because it did not sponsor Aurora and because Aurora has not demonstrated that its student body is comprised of the statutory requisite number of students residing in the Sequoia district to qualify for facilities.

BACKGROUND

The Charter Schools Act of 1992 (Ed. Code, § 47600 et seq.) allows the establishment of a school that operates independently from the existing school district structure. (§ 47601.) A charter school within a particular school district is established when a petition, containing the proposed charter for the school and signed by a specified percentage of designated people, is submitted to the district’s governing board and the board grants the charter. (§ 47605, subds. (a) & (b).)

In January 1999, Aurora, then called the Bay Area Charter High School, submitted a charter petition to Sequoia. Sequoia did not grant the…