(1) The Washington state charter school commission is established as an independent state agency whose mission is to:
(a) Authorize high quality charter public schools throughout the state, especially schools that are designed to expand opportunities for at-risk students;
(b) Ensure the highest standards of accountability and oversight for these schools; and
(c) 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.
(2) The commission shall, through its management, supervision, and enforcement of the charter contracts and pursuant to applicable law, administer the charter schools it authorizes in the same manner as a school district board of directors administers other schools.
(3)(a) The commission shall consist of:
(i) Nine appointed members;
(ii) The superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent's designee; and
(iii) The chair of the state board of education or the chair's designee.
(b) Appointments to the commission shall be as follows: Three members shall be appointed by the governor; three members shall be appointed by the senate, with two members appointed by the leader of the largest caucus of the senate and one member appointed by the leader of the minority caucus of the senate; and three members shall be appointed by the house of representatives, with two members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and one member appointed by the leader of the minority caucus of the house of representatives. The appointing authorities shall assure diversity among commission members, including representation from various geographic areas of the state and shall assure that at least one member is the parent of a Washington public school student.
(4) Members appointed to the commission shall collectively possess strong experience and expertise in public and nonprofit governance; management and finance; public school leadership, assessment, curriculum, and instruction; and public education law. All appointed members shall have demonstrated an understanding of and commitment to charter schooling as a strategy for strengthening public education.
(5) Appointed members shall serve four-year, staggered terms. The initial appointments from each of the appointing authorities must consist of one member appointed to a one-year term, one member appointed to a two-year term, and one member appointed to a three-year term, all of whom thereafter may be reappointed for a four-year term. No appointed member may serve more than two consecutive terms. Initial appointments must be made by July 1, 2016.
(6) Whenever a vacancy on the commission exists among its appointed membership, the original appointing authority must appoint a member for the remaining portion of the term within no more than thirty days.
(7) Commission members shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for travel expenses as authorized in RCW
43.03.050 and
43.03.060.
(8) The commission may hire an executive director and may employ staff as necessary to carry out its duties under this chapter. The commission may delegate to the executive director the duties as necessary to effectively and efficiently execute the business of the commission, including the authority to employ necessary staff. In accordance with RCW
41.06.070, the executive director and the executive director's confidential secretary are exempt from the provisions of chapter
41.06 RCW.
(9) The commission shall reside within the office of the superintendent of public instruction for administrative purposes only.