Vote to pass a bill that authorizes public charter schools.
Highlights:
Authorizes a county board of education to establish a “public charter school” supported by the state, county, or municipal funds (Sec. 1).
Defines “public charter school” as a public school that will be subject to certain requirements including, but not limited to, the following (Sec. 1):
The school has autonomy over key decisions, including, but not limited to, decisions concerning finance, personnel, scheduling, curriculum, and instruction;
The school is not affiliated with any specific religious “denomination, organization, sect or belief;”
The school is governed by a board that is independent of a county board of education; and
The school is a public school to which parents choose to send their children.
Limits the number of public charter schools that can be established to 2 per year for the first 5 years that public charter schools are in operation (Sec. 1).