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(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates SB430 Relates to SB192

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

State Department of Public Education (SDE)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of HEC Amendment

The House Education Committee amends the original bill as follows: defines a charter school district; establishes the time period for the pilot; strikes language which would have allowed the State Board to approve no more than three charter school districts; requires the State Board of Education to give priority consideration for charter district status to school districts that have received collaboration school improvement waivers or curriculum planning waivers; no longer requires evidence of broad-based support among parents, teachers and pupils; no longer requires a description of the governing body in the application; requires the governing body of the charter school district to be the local school board; and strikes language that would have prohibited the State Board of Education from renewing any charter prior to July 1, 2003.

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 458 enacts a new section of the Public School Code referred to as the Charter School District Act to establish a pilot program for the creation of charter school districts.

Significant Issues

• •This bill directs the State Board of Education to initiate a pilot program to test the effectiveness of charter school districts.
• •The State Board of Education may approve no more than three school districts or clusters to operate as charter school districts.



• •If a local school district is approved to operate as a charter school district, the local school district shall be exempt from the provisions of the Public School Code pertaining to the length of the school day, staffing patterns, subject areas and instructional materials.



• •A charter school district shall continue to operate as a public, nonsectarian public school district; operate in the same geographic boundaries; receive state funds; provide special education services as required by state and federal laws; be liable for timely payment on its bonded indebtedness and subject to the same bonded indebtedness limitations prior to becoming a charter school and be subject to all state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination.



• •This bill requires local school boards to seek approval to become a charter school district from the voters within the school district.



• •At least 65 percent of the employees of the school district must sign a petition in support of the school district becoming a charter district.



• •The State Board of Education must establish the application process and requirements for charter district status.



• •A Charter may be approved or renewed for a period not to exceed four academic calendar years.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

A charter school district shall continue to receive state funds, presumably through the state equalization guarantee.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

Currently, .25 FTE at the State Department of Education is assigned to charter school issues. Included in SDE's FY2000 appropriation request is $59.7 for an additional position for alternative education, however the department estimates that approximately 60 percent of the duties would be related to charter schools.

CONFLICT/DUPLICATION/COMPANIONSHIP/RELATIONSHIP

House Bill 458 duplicates Senate Bill 430 and conflicts with Senate Bill 192 which enacts the 1999 Charter Schools Act and repeals section 22-8A-1 through 22-8A-7 or the current Charter School Act.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

SDE suggests the term "cluster" be defined.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

Please refer to the analysis provided by SDE for other substantive issues.

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