Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that increases the spending cap on charter school tuition.

Highlights:

• Requires the Secretary of Administration and Finance to meet with the House and Senate Committees on Ways and Means to establish an implementation schedule on or before January 15, 2017 (Sec. 3).

• Requires the net school spending cap on charter school tuition to increase by 0.5% per fiscal year, provided that the general appropriation act meets the implementation schedule established in the provisions of this bill (Sec. 93).

• Requires every commonwealth charter school application to be subject to local approval of every school district expected to enroll students (Sec. 65).

• Specifies that if local approval is not granted but the charter school application is still approved by the board, the charter school will be funded by the commonwealth (Sec. 65).

• Amends the way in which charter schools operate, including but not limited to the following ways (Secs. 58, 70, 71, 83):
• Requires finances, contracts, and board meeting minutes be disclosed to the public;
• Amends the membership of the charter school board to include teachers, parents, and district school committee members; and 
• Requires schools to enroll students using an opt-out lottery system that automatically includes all students.

Full Bill Text