As the title indicates. Amends GS 115C-238.29E, increasing charter school accountability by adding requirements for the content of the charter school application, specifying that the board of directors of a charter school is responsible for the supervision and control of the charter school including its compliance with state and federal law, and requiring the State Board of Education (SBE) to conduct at least one comprehensive evaluation of a charter school during the first half of the term of the school's operating under its charter and no later than three years after a charter school begins operating. Additionally requires the SBE to create a written report reviewing the results of its evaluation and including findings of at least one physical site visitation to the charter school.
Amends GS 115C-238.29D(d) to make a conforming change, deleting the requirement that the SBE evaluate the operations of each charter school at least once every five years to ensure its meeting the expected academic, financial, and governance standards.
Provides that any charter school in operation for longer than half of the term of its charter and has not yet been reviewed under GS 115C-238.29D(d) prior to the effective date of this act, must be evaluated in accordance with GS 115C-238.29E(d4) within 12 months of the effective date of this act.
Amends GS 115C-238.29B(b) to require that the charter school application contain the results of criminal history record checks, as defined in GS 115C-332, of the initial members of the board of directors. Applies to charter school applications submitted to the SBE on or after the effective date of this act.
Requires an individual currently serving as a member of a board of directors for a charter school as of the effective date of this act to submit the results of the member's criminal history record check, as defined in GS 115C-332 to the SBE on or before September 1, 2014.
Amends GS 115C-238.29G regarding causes for nonrenewal or termination of a charter and disputes, and adds criteria regarding remedial plans for charter schools that fail to meet conditions or correct deficiencies identified in a remedial plan in accordance with new subsection (a2) of this section.
Subsection (a2) declares that the SBE may determine that a charter school is not in compliance with state or federal law or the terms and conditions of its charter following a review and evaluation of a charter school's operation, and require the charter school to (1) meet any additional conditions placed on the school by the SBE, and (2) implement a remedial plan, to correct any deficiencies identified by the SBE. Requires the charter schools to meet the conditions and/or correct the deficiencies identified in the remedial plan within a reasonable amount of time established by the SBE.
Appropriates $206,614 for the 2014-15 fiscal year in recurring funds from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction, Office of Charter Schools to fund an additional two consultant positions in the Office of Charter Schools to implement the requirements of this act. Effective July 1, 2014.
Except as otherwise indicated, this act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with the 2014-15 school year.
Bill Summaries: H1085 INCREASE CHARTER SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY.
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Bill H 1085 (2013-2014)Summary date: May 16 2014 - View Summary