1744-S AMH RUDE MOET 184

  

SHB 1744 - H AMD 343

By Representative Rude

ADOPTED 03/06/2023

On page 2, line 7, after "requirements" insert ", but an additional reporting requirement for charter schools can reinforce existing requirements and help to avoid any future problems"

On page 2, line 11, after "not" strike "prepared or otherwise"

On page 4, line 27, after "equality)," insert "chapter 28A.180 RCW (transitional bilingual instruction program),"

On page 6, beginning on line 12, after "(c)" strike all material through "both" on line 15 and insert "Hold charter school boards accountable for: Ensuring that students of charter public schools have opportunities for academic success; and exercising effective educational, operational, and financial oversight of charter public schools"

On page 7, beginning on line 36, after "(a)" strike all material though "both" on line 39 and insert "Holding the charter school board of each authorized charter school accountable for: Ensuring that students in the charter school have opportunities for academic success; and exercising effective educational, operational, and financial oversight of the charter school"

On page 13, beginning on line 9, after "(a)" strike all material though "both" on line 12 and insert "Hold the charter school board accountable for: Ensuring that students of the charter school have opportunities for academic success; and exercising effective educational, operational, and financial oversight of the charter school"

On page 13, beginning on line 22, after "(1)" strike all material though "beginning" on line 23 and insert "Beginning"

On page 14, after line 2, insert the following:

"(4) For the purposes of this section, "technical assistance" means the provision of training, which may be provided by commission staff or through a contractor, to support charter schools and charter school boards in their responsibility to achieve and maintain compliance with applicable state and federal laws and with their charter school contract.

NEW SECTION. Sec. A new section is added to chapter 28A.710 RCW to read as follows:

(1)(a) By November 1, 2023, the commission shall establish and maintain on its website an online system for students who attend charter schools, and the parents of those students, to submit complaints about the operation and administration of one or more charter schools, including complaints about the provision of education services and complaints alleging noncompliance with the requirements of this chapter or other provisions governing charter schools.

(b) The commission shall acknowledge the receipt of each received complaint within 10 business days and shall, in a timely manner, perform any inquiries or other actions it deems necessary and appropriate to respond to each received complaint.

(2) The commission shall adopt and revise as necessary rules to implement this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. A new section is added to chapter 28A.710 RCW to read as follows:

Each charter school shall prominently post and maintain on its website information about the school's process and instructions for submitting complaints about the operation and administration of the charter school by its enrolled students and their parents. This information must include a designated point of contact at the charter school and a link to the complaint system of the commission that is required by section 11 of this act."

Correct the title.

EFFECT: (1) Adds the transitional bilingual instruction program to provisions delineating examples of the laws that charter schools must comply with.

(2) Makes changes to provisions governing the Washington State Charter School Commission (Commission) and other charter school authorizers by directing them to hold charter school boards accountable for: (a) ensuring that charter school students have opportunities for academic success; and (b) exercising effective educational, operational, and financial oversight of charter schools.

(3) Removes proposed changes to provisions governing the Commission and authorizers that require them to ensure that students in charter schools have opportunities for academic success that are not disrupted by unsatisfactory educational, operational, or financial oversight of the charter school, the charter school board, or both.

(4) Removes provisions making the Commission's duty to provide technical assistance to requesting charter schools or charter school boards beginning with the 2023-24 school year subject to appropriation.

(5) Defines technical assistance that the Commission may provide as "the provision of training to support charter schools and charter school boards in their responsibility to achieve and maintain compliance with applicable state and federal laws and with their charter school contract."

(6) Requires the Commission, by November 1, 2023, to establish and maintain an online system for charter school students and their parents or legal guardians to submit complaints about the operation and administration of charter schools.

(7) Establishes related response duties and discretionary inquiry authority for the Commission in meeting requirements for the complaint system.

(8) Requires each charter school to prominently post and maintain on its website information about the school's process and instructions for submitting complaints about the operation and administration of the charter school by students of the school and their parents.

(9) Modifies intent language.

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