FL S0254

Requires charter schools to demonstrate they meet a specific instructional need or need for additional educational facilities that the local school district does not or is unable to provide in order to obtain approval.

Maintains that charter schools shall be guided by principles including meeting high standards of student achievement, promoting academic success and financial efficiency, and providing parents with information on student reading levels and annual learning gains.

Specifies that charter schools shall fulfill purposes of improving student learning, increasing learning opportunities for all students with emphasis on low-performing students and reading, encouraging innovative learning methods, and requiring measurement of learning outcomes.

Identifies purposes charter schools may fulfill including creating innovative measurement tools, providing competition to stimulate improvement in public schools, expanding system capacity, mitigating educational impacts from new residential development, and creating professional opportunities for teachers.

Takes effect July 1, 2015.