Judge: SoCal District Improperly Rejected Petition

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A judge has ruled that a San Bernardino County school district improperly rejected a parent petition calling for reforms at a failing elementary school and ordered the district to start accepting proposals from charter operators.

The decision marks the first victory of California's so-called "parent trigger" law. The 2010 law allows people to force school reform through a petition signed by a simple majority of the parents at a school.

Superior Court Judge Steve Malone handed down the decision against the Adelanto Elementary School District late Friday. District officials couldn't immediately be reached for comment Monday.

Malone ruled that the district abused its discretion in rejecting 97 signatures that lowered the number below the 50 percent threshold required.

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