Bill Summary: HB 6616

• Establishes a charter school approval grant account as a separate, nonlapsing account within the General Fund, effective July 1, 2021.

• Allows the Commissioner of Education to expend funds from the account to provide grants to newly approved charter schools in the fiscal year immediately following the year their initial certificate of approval was granted.

• Permits unexpended charter school grant funds to carry over to the next fiscal year instead of lapsing at the end of the fiscal year.

• Requires the State Board of Education to submit copies of initial certificates of approval for charters and public hearing summaries to the joint standing committees on education and appropriations.

• Makes an initial certificate of approval effective and deemed a charter as of July 1st of the fiscal year in which funds are expended, rather than when initially granted.