Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes the State Board of Education to approve up to five public charter schools in each congressional district, with a cap of twenty public charter schools statewide, and authorizes two types of charter schools: (1) conversion charter schools and (2) open-enrollment charter schools.

Highlights:

-Defines "conversion charter school" as a public school that has converted to operating by the terms of a charter granted by the State Board of Education and the local school board (Sec. 1). -Defines "open-enrollment public charter school" as a public school operating under the terms of a charter granted by the State Board of Education that may accept students from across public school district boundaries (Sec. 1). -Specifies that initial conversion and open-enrollment charters shall be issued as three-year pilot programs which can be renewed for a term of up to three years (Sec. 4). -Requires that charter school petitions include specific and measurable benchmarks of academic performance on state assessments that require the following (Sec. 2):

-The charter school students must significantly outperform students in the local school district in which the charter school is located after two years of enrollment; and -The charter school must not miss adequate yearly progress for any two consecutive years, as defined by federal requirements outlined in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

-Authorizes the State Superintendent of Education to place a charter school on probation, thus requiring the implementation of a corrective action plan, if the governing council of the school fails to (Sec. 8):

-Demonstrate adequate student progress, especially in meeting the academic goals outlined in the school's charter; -Comply with the terms of the school's charter or applicable laws and regulations; -Maintain nonsectarian status; or -Demonstrate financial solvency or the ability to provide effective oversight in the operation of the charter school.

-Authorizes the State Superintendent of Education to revoke or not renew a charter if the governing council of the charter school fails to (Sec. 8):

-Comply with the terms of probation; -Demonstrate satisfactory student progress in meeting the academic goals outlined in the school's charter after at least one year of probation or at the end of the charter period, demonstrate achievement of the academic goals outlined in the school's charter; -Comply with the terms of its charter or applicable laws and regulations; or -Demonstrate financial solvency or the ability to provide effective oversight in the operation of the charter school.

-Requires each charter school to provide a transportation plan for students and comply with transportation regulations applicable to all other school districts (Sec. 5). -This is a substitute bill sponsored by the House Committee on Education.

Full Bill Text