HB 2721 Summary

• Establishes a recovery school district within the Department of Education to take over operation of schools deemed "academically unacceptable" by the state board of education.

• Schools may be transferred to the recovery school district if the school district fails to present a restructuring plan, presents an unacceptable plan, fails to comply with an approved plan, or has been academically unacceptable for four consecutive years.

• The recovery school district may receive and spend federal, state, and local funding allocated to transferred schools but cannot levy taxes or contract with for-profit providers for general school operations.

• School district governing boards must provide support services (transportation, food service, special education screening) to transferred schools and retain responsibility for building repairs while the recovery district handles routine maintenance.

• Once a transferred school achieves acceptable academic performance, the state board of education must negotiate an agreement to return the school to the original district, and teachers employed by the recovery district receive priority consideration for employment in comparable positions.