Signed by Governor Butch Otter

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that amends regulations on the chartering of public charter schools, effective July 1, 2013.

Highlights:

• Expands the list of authorized chartering entities that can establish public charter schools to include the following entities (Sec. 2):
• A public state college, university, or community college; and
• A private, non-profit, and nonsectarian college or university accredited by the same organization that accredits public colleges and universities.

• Requires a chartering entity and an approved public charter school to establish a “performance certificate” within 75 days of the approval of the charter school’s application and before the charter school begins operations (Sec. 6).

• Defines “performance certificate” as a fixed term, renewable certificate between a public charter school and an authorized chartering entity that outlines the expected responsibilities, roles, and performance for each party to the certificate (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes a chartering entity to renew a public charter school for additional 5 year periods after its initial 3 year term, based on the school’s ability to meet goals set by its performance certificate (Sec. 12).

• Requires performance requirements in a performance certificate to be based on reaching targeted goals in certain areas including, but not limited to, the following areas (Sec. 11):
• Student academic proficiency;
• Student academic growth; and
• Student readiness of high school students for college and careers.

• Requires a chartering entity to monitor the performance and legal compliance of the public charter schools it oversees (Sec. 13).

• Authorizes the Department of Education to make an advance payment to a public charter school of 25 percent of the school’s estimated annual apportionment if the school has made an increase from the previous year in the number of grades it serves or serves at least 10 percent more classes (Sec. 9).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends regulations on the chartering of public charter schools, effective July 1, 2013.

Highlights:

• Expands the list of authorized chartering entities that can establish public charter schools to include the following entities (Sec. 2):
• A public state college, university, or community college; and
• A private, non-profit, and nonsectarian college or university accredited by the same organization that accredits public colleges and universities.

• Requires a chartering entity and an approved public charter school to establish a “performance certificate” within 75 days of the approval of the charter school’s application and before the charter school begins operations (Sec. 6).

• Defines “performance certificate” as a fixed term, renewable certificate between a public charter school and an authorized chartering entity that outlines the expected responsibilities, roles, and performance for each party to the certificate (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes a chartering entity to renew a public charter school for additional 5 year periods after its initial 3 year term, based on the school’s ability to meet goals set by its performance certificate (Sec. 12).

• Requires performance requirements in a performance certificate to be based on reaching targeted goals in certain areas including, but not limited to, the following areas (Sec. 11):
• Student academic proficiency;
• Student academic growth; and
• Student readiness of high school students for college and careers.

• Requires a chartering entity to monitor the performance and legal compliance of the public charter schools it oversees (Sec. 13).

• Authorizes the Department of Education to make an advance payment to a public charter school of 25 percent of the school’s estimated annual apportionment if the school has made an increase from the previous year in the number of grades it serves or serves at least 10 percent more classes (Sec. 9).

Full Bill Text