SB 1396 - Charter Schools Summary

• Requires charter school sponsors and applicants to use uniform model contracts developed by the Department of Education, and prohibits school districts from adopting their own rules or adding provisions to charter contracts beyond what statute requires.

• Establishes student academic achievement as a priority factor in determining charter school renewals and terminations, and allows administrative law judges to have final-order authority to rule on charter disputes except denials and terminations.

• Permits charter schools to provide virtual instruction without school district approval and allows temporary certificates of occupancy for new charter school buildings at the start of a school year.

• Requires all federal education funding (Title I, Title II, IDEA funds) to be paid directly to charter schools within 5 months of opening, and mandates sponsors provide electronic information systems with data charter schools must report.

• Makes virtual charter schools eligible for high-performing designation, shortens charter waiver of termination request timelines from 30 to 15 days, and requires new governing board members to attend the Florida Charter School Conference (exempting high-performing charter school board members).