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1999 SESSION

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HB 1577 Charter schools.

Introduced by: John J. Davies III | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED:

Charter schools. Modifies the statute which allows school boards to establish joint schools, with the consent of the Board of Education, to clarify that this authority includes the establishment of regional schools, including regional charter schools, i.e., joint ventures with two or more participating school boards. The school boards operating the regional charter school must determine the school division to which the regional school will be attributed for purposes of the restrictions on the number of charter schools. Present law authorizes the establishment of only two charter schools per school division prior to July 1, 2000, and requires that priority be given to charter school applications designed to increase the educational opportunities of at-risk students, and at least one-half of the charter schools per division be reserved for at-risk student programs.

SUMMARY AS PASSED HOUSE:

Charter schools. Authorizes the establishment of regional charter schools, i.e., joint ventures with two or more participating school boards. The school boards operating the regional charter school shall determine the school division to which the regional school will be attributed for purposes of any restrictions on the number of charter schools.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Charter schools. Authorizes the establishment of regional charter schools, i.e., joint ventures with two or more participating school boards. The regional charter schools must comply with all relevant federal and state laws and regulations and constitutional provisions regarding discrimination and any court-ordered desegregation plan in effect for any of the participating school divisions. Enrollment will be open, on a lottery basis, to any child residing within any of the relevant school divisions. The regional charter school will negotiate with the participating school divisions for operation and maintenance of the facilities. The approved charter application will constitute an agreement between the regional charter school and the participating school boards. All participating school boards must have moved to establish their intent to receive applications for charter schools. The decision of any participating school board to grant or deny a charter school application or to revoke or fail to renew a charter agreement will be final and not subject to appeal only for the specific school board. Any school division may participate in one regional charter school in addition to the two charter schools per school division. Employees may be drawn from the participating school divisions and will be subject to the relevant school division’s employment policies. As with other charter schools, regional charter school students will be included in the average daily membership of the relevant school division but will not be reported in fall membership for purposes of calculating the state and local shares of the Standards of Quality funding. Participating school boards will establish the conditions for funding the regional charter school, within constitutional restraints.