Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that reforms charter school funding, teacher assessment, and charter procurement.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Special Education Funding Commission (Sec. 1).

• Requires the Special Education Funding Commission to develop a Special Education formula to determine the distribution of change in Special Education funding among the school districts (Sec. 1).

• Establishes the following categories of eligible students for Special Education funding (Sec. 1):
•   Cost category 1 for students with disabilities requiring the least-intensive range of services;
•   Cost category 2 for students with disabilities requiring middle range of services; and
•   Cost category 3 for students with disabilities requiring the most intensive range of services.

• Requires the Special Education Funding Commission to calculate cost category 3 in a way that limits potential incentive for school districts to over-identify students who qualify for this cost category (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes school districts, charter schools, and vocational technical schools to enter into a concurrent enrollment agreement with institutions of higher education (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the Governor to establish the Charter School Funding Advisory Committee to review charter school financing laws (Sec. 1).

• Limits charter schools fund balance beginning in school year 2013-2014 and each school year thereafter to the following amounts (Sec. 1):
•  12 percent for  expenditures less than or equal to $11.99 million;
•  11.5 percent for expenditures between $12 million and $12.99 million;
•  11 percent for expenditures between $13 million and $13.99 million;
•  10.5 percent for expenditures between $14 million and $14.99 million;
•  10 percent for expenditures between $15 million and $15.99 million;
•  9.5 percent for expenditures between $16 million and $16.99 million;
•  9 percent for expenditures between $17 million and $17.99 million;
•  8.5 percent for expenditures between $18 million and $18.99 million; and
•  8 percent for expenditures greater than or equal to $19 million.

• Requires all applications for charter schools or for the renewal of a charter school to include a system of evaluation for educators (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends charter school funding, teacher assessment, and charter school procurement.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Special Education Funding Commission (Sec. 1).

• Requires the Special Education Funding Commission to develop a Special Education formula to determine the distribution of change in Special Education funding among the school districts (Sec. 1).

• Establishes the following categories of eligible students for Special Education funding (Sec. 1):
•   Cost category 1 for students with disabilities requiring the least-intensive range of services;
•   Cost category 2 for students with disabilities requiring middle range of services; and
•   Cost category 3 for students with disabilities requiring the most intensive range of services.

• Requires the Special Education Funding Commission to calculate cost category 3 in a way that limits potential incentive for school districts to over-identify students who qualify for this cost category (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes school districts, charter schools, and vocational technical schools to enter into a concurrent enrollment agreement with institutions of higher education (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the Governor to establish the Charter School Funding Advisory Committee to review charter school financing laws (Sec. 1).

• Limits charter schools fund balance beginning in school year 2013-2014 and each school year thereafter to the following amounts (Sec. 1):
•  12 percent for  expenditures less than or equal to $11.99 million;
•  11.5 percent for expenditures between $12 million and $12.99 million;
•  11 percent for expenditures between $13 million and $13.99 million;
•  10.5 percent for expenditures between $14 million and $14.99 million;
•  10 percent for expenditures between $15 million and $15.99 million;
•  9.5 percent for expenditures between $16 million and $16.99 million;
•  9 percent for expenditures between $17 million and $17.99 million;
•  8.5 percent for expenditures between $18 million and $18.99 million; and
•  8 percent for expenditures greater than or equal to $19 million.

• Requires all applications for charter schools or for the renewal of a charter school to include a system of evaluation for educators (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text