The California Association of Private School Organizations is the voice of K-12 private education in California. Its primary mission is to preserve the independence of California’s private schools and to uphold parental choice in education.
CAPSO at a Glance
Representation
CAPSO is a statewide consortium of 24 private school service agencies and administrative units providing service to 1,400 schools. This accounts for approximately 370,000 students in grades K-12, which is roughly 80% of all privately enrolled students in California
(Nearly 8% of all students in California).
Legislative Power
CAPSO is the primary voice for private school rights and privileges in California. CAPSO primarily advocates for three forms of legislative action: exclusion, inclusion, and "as applicable".
CAPSO is not opposed to reasonable regulations and does not make a practice of opposing all potential legislation impacting private schools. Instead, in collaboration with the public policy committee, CAPSO evaluates potential regulations for reasonableness, benefit, and potential impact on member organizations.
Transparency and Communication
CAPSO regularly communicates with member organizations about key legislation. Member organizations receive monthly mailers and special notifications as appropriate. CAPSO also maintains an active page on LinkedIn.
You may subscribe to the CAPSO newsletter by visiting "News & Publications" and "Subscribe".
Unanimity
Because CAPSO represents the great majority of private schools in California, the association has a diverse range of perspectives and priorities. While all member organizations may take action as they see fit, CAPSO adheres to an established unanimity principle, which requires the association to lobby only when all member organizations indicate agreement with a legislative action.