HB 2019-S2.E - DIGEST

(AS OF HOUSE 2ND READING 1/23/98)

     Declares that a public charter school is a public school including one or more of grades kindergarten through twelve, operated by a nonprofit entity, according to the terms of a renewable five-year agreement granted by a sponsor.

     Declares that a charter school shall operate independently of any school district board and is exempt from all state statutes and rules relating to school districts except as provided in this chapter and in the school's approved charter.

     Provides all approved charter schools shall:  (1) Comply with state and federal health, safety, and civil rights laws and rules applicable to school districts;

     (2) meet or exceed the student performance and assessment standards as established for students in other public schools;

     (3) participate in nationally normed standardized achievement tests as required in RCW 28A.230.190, 28A.230.230, and 28A.230.240;

     (4) employ certificated instructional staff in accordance with laws and rules applicable to other public schools within the district.  Charter schools may hire noncertificated instructional staff with money received from nonstate sources;

     (5) comply with the employee record check requirements in RCW 28A.400.303;

     (6) be subject to the same financial and audit requirements as a school district;

     (7) report at least annually to its sponsor and to parents of children enrolled at the charter school on progress toward the student performance goals specified in the charter;

     (8) comply with the annual performance report under RCW 28A.320.205;

     (9) comply with the open public meetings act in chapter 42.30 RCW; and

     (10) meet the obligation on school districts to spend the allocations received under section 15 of this act for the purposes of funding basic education, special education, learning assistance programs, transitional bilingual instruction programs, and student transportation as required under this title and the state Constitution.

     Directs the superintendent of public instruction to separately calculate and allocate to charter schools moneys appropriated for basic education under RCW 28A.150.260.

     Provides that a charter school must enroll all students who submit a timely application.

     Designates procedures to establish a charter school.

     Places a cap on enrollments until June 1, 2000.

     Designates labor relations requirements.

     Requires funding to be on the same basis as for non-charter enrollees.

     Provides that the act shall be null and void if appropriations are not approved.