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F I S C A L   I M P A C T   R E P O R T

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Zanetti

 

DATE TYPED:

2/27/03

 

HB

908

 

SHORT TITLE:

Shorten Charter School Approval Time

 

SB

 

 

 

ANALYST:

L. Baca

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY03

FY04

FY03

FY04

 

 

 

NFI

 

 

 

 

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

Relates to:        SB 696, Charter School Severance Bonds

                        SB 224, Fifteen Year Charter School Renewal

 

Conflicts with HB 375, Amend Charter School Act

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

Responses Received From

State Department of Education (SDE)

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of Bill

 

House Bill 908 amends the Charter Schools Act to provide a shorter time frame for the approval or denial of charter school applications and appeals; provides specific time frame and criteria for revoking or failing to renew a charter school; authorizes a larger number of charter schools; and stipulates that charter schools are to receive that portion of the Capital Improvements Act (SB 9) generated by the program units attributable to students attending a charter school.

 

     Significant Issues

 

HB 908 addresses the following issues:

 

  • changes the date for a charter school application from to March 1 from October 1;
  • changes the timeline for a local school board to approve a charter application from 60 days to 30 days;
  • changes the timeline for the State Board of Education(SBE) to a decision on an appeal from 60 days to 30 days;
  • changes the timeline for a local school board to approve a charter school application from 30 days to 10 days;
  • changes the timeline for the SBE to review  local school board decision from 60 days to 30 day:
  • changes the ability of the SBE to extend any timelines regarding approval or denial of a charter school application;
  • changes the number of charter schools that can be authorized to 20 start-up and 10 conversion schools up to 100 start-up and 50 conversion schools in any one five-year period;
  • changes the renewal time of a charter school from January 1 to July 1 of the year prior to the year in which the charter school expires; and
  • stipulates that the portion of the state distribution from the Public School Capital Improvements Act that is generated by units attributable to a student attending a charter school shall be allotted to that charter school.

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

Charter schools will be able to receive a portion of funds generated from the Capital Improvements Act.  Revenues received pursuant to the provisions of the Capital Improvements Act may be expended for maintenance of facilities.

 

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

 

The shortened timelines will in all likelihood require that a local school board and the SBE hold special meetings to carry out the provisions of the amendments.  SDE and local school board staffs will also be affected by the shortened timeframes for decisions to be rendered.

 

The SDE observes that the amendments proposed in this bill have not been reviewed by charter school work group appointed by the Legislative Education Study Committee.

 

1.                  Did any charter school or group of charter schools assist in preparing this bill?

2.                  Have any “organized group” of charter schools or charter school representatives expressed support or opposition to the changes proposed in this bill?

3.                  Do the shortened timelines allow school district and SDE staffs to adequately prepare their respective boards to review the evidence and make an informed decision?

4.                  The bill increases the number of charter schools allowed.  Has there been a great deal of interest in starting new charter schools?

5.                  Have representative from the SBE/SDE and\or local school boards expressed an opinion on this bill?

 

LRB/yr :njw