Bill Summary for S 371 (2025-2026)

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Summary date: 

Mar 20 2025

Bill Information:

View NCGA Bill Details(link is external)2025-2026 Session
Senate Bill 371 (Public) Filed Thursday, March 20, 2025
AN ACT TO REQUIRE CHARTER REVOCATION FOR SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN LOW-PERFORMING FOR FOUR CONSECUTIVE YEARS, TO RESTRICT CHARTER SCHOOLS FROM EXPANDING IF THEY ARE LOW-PERFORMING, TO LIMIT CHARTERS FOR REMOTE ACADEMIES TO THREE YEARS, AND TO REQUIRE CHARTER SCHOOLS TO LIST THE SCHOOL'S PERFORMANCE GRADE ON ENROLLMENT APPLICATIONS.
Intro. by Chitlik, Grafstein.

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Bill summary

Includes whereas clauses.

Repeals: (1) GS 115C-218.7(b), which provided that if a charter school has been identified as low-performing, then it is considered a material revision of the school's charter to increase its maximum authorized enrollment by more than 20% of the previous year's maximum authorized enrollment; and (2) GS 115C-218.8(2), which provided that it was not considered a material revision of a chart, and did not require prior approval, if a school is low-performing and has planned growth authorized in its charter, increased its maximum authorized enrollment during the charter school's second year of operation and annually thereafter in accordance with planned growth as authorized in its charter.

Amends GS 115C-218.45 to requires a charter school to include the school's performance grade for the previous five years on its enrollment application.

Amends GS 115C-218.94 to prohibit a low performing charter school from expanding enrollment, even if expansion was planned in its charter, until the school is no longer identified as low-performing. Revokes the charter of a charter school that is identified as continually low-performing for four consecutive years. Provides that if a charter school has been identified as continually low-performing for three consecutive years immediately preceding the expiration of its charter, the Review Board my allow the school to operate under its existing charter for an additional year; if the school is no longer low-performing during that additional year, allows the charter to be renewed.

Amends GS 115C-218.95 by making conforming changes removing the Review Board's authority to terminate, not renew, or seek applications to assume the charter for a charter school that is continually low performing. 

Amends GS 115C-218.123 by reducing the duration of the approval of a charter or charter modification for the creation of a remote charter academy to three (was, five) years. Makes conforming changes to GS 115C-218.124.

Applies beginning with the 2025-26 school year.