Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends charter school laws.

Highlights:

•  Authorizes a district to increase a its total charter tuition payments above 18 percent of its net school spending as follows (Secs. 33 & 46):
• In fiscal year 2018, up to 19 percent;
• In fiscal year 2019, up to 20 percent;
• In fiscal year 2020, up to 21 percent;
• In fiscal year 2021, up to 22 percent; and
• In fiscal year 2022, up to 23 percent. 

•  Requires charter school applicants to meet the following criteria (Sec. 35):
• The school enrolls students using an opt-out admissions lottery process, without any required application process; or
• The school’s primary purpose is to establish education programs for “at-risk” students and have at least 75 percent of students enrolled qualify as “at-risk” students.

• Authorizes the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education to designate schools, on the basis of student performance data, other than a Horace Mann charter school, as a “challenge, underperforming, or chronically underperforming school” (Sec. 1).

• Requires a challenge school’s committee and local teachers union to meet to negotiate a waiver agreement to permit the implementation of a turnaround plan, and requires the superintendent to convene a local stakeholder group to develop the turnaround plan for the school (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that the turnaround plan may include certain provisions that authorize the superintendent to take certain steps including, but not limited to, the following steps (Sec. 1):
• Expand, alter, or replace the curriculum and programs offered by the school;
• Reallocate the uses of the existing budget of the school;
• Limit, suspend, or change 1 or more school district policies; and
• Add pre-kindergarten and full-day kindergarten classes.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends charter school laws.

Highlights:

•  Authorizes a district to increase a its total charter tuition payments above 18 percent of its net school spending as follows (Secs. 33 & 46):
• In fiscal year 2018, up to 19 percent;
• In fiscal year 2019, up to 20 percent;
• In fiscal year 2020, up to 21 percent;
• In fiscal year 2021, up to 22 percent; and
• In fiscal year 2022, up to 23 percent. 

•  Requires charter school applicants to meet the following criteria (Sec. 35):
• The school enrolls students using an opt-out admissions lottery process, without any required application process; or
• The school’s primary purpose is to establish education programs for “at-risk” students and have at least 75 percent of students enrolled qualify as “at-risk” students.

• Authorizes the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education to designate schools, on the basis of student performance data, other than a Horace Mann charter school, as a “challenge, underperforming, or chronically underperforming school” (Sec. 1).

• Requires a challenge school’s committee and local teachers union to meet to negotiate a waiver agreement to permit the implementation of a turnaround plan, and requires the superintendent to convene a local stakeholder group to develop the turnaround plan for the school (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that the turnaround plan may include certain provisions that authorize the superintendent to take certain steps including, but not limited to, the following steps (Sec. 1):
• Expand, alter, or replace the curriculum and programs offered by the school;
• Reallocate the uses of the existing budget of the school;
• Limit, suspend, or change 1 or more school district policies; and
• Add pre-kindergarten and full-day kindergarten classes.

Full Bill Text