Ricardo Soto
Ricardo Soto joined the California Charter Schools Association in September 2011 as Senior Vice President, Legal Advocacy and General Counsel. In his role, he oversees the Legal Team, provides general legal advice to the Association and in relation to legal strategies targeted to support the Association’s statewide and regional advocacy efforts, the membership, the charter school community, and CCSA’s initiatives and strategic objectives.
Before joining CCSA, Soto worked for the San Diego Unified School District from the late 1990s until 2005. While there, he represented the district on education reform efforts undertaken by the superintendent, such as changing educational programs and implementation of reforms at the school.
He then served as Assistant Secretary and Legal Counsel in the Office of the Secretary of Education for California. My primary role there was to provide legal advice to the Secretary of Education and Governor’s Office on legal issues around education, from preschool through higher education.
He sees CCSA as a focused, committed group of individuals driving the agenda to make sure charters have the appropriate supports and legal environment to grow and expand, locally and statewide. As General Counsel for CCSA, Soto will be working to make sure the organization develops and implements processes that are legally compliant, but serves members’ needs and facilitate the work the organization undertakes.
As SVP of Legal Advocacy, I’m looking to identify legal cases or potential legal issues Soto said his work has always been about trying to ensure that all students, but in particular our disadvantaged student groups, have access to a quality education. He is excited for the opportunity to continue work in K-12 education reform efforts noting that charters are doing amazing things with some of the most challenging student populations in the state. Soto maintains it is critical that charters be part of the solution to the problems facing education today.
“I’m committed to the mission of the Association to grow and develop quality charter school programs for the benefit of students,” said Soto.