FL S0166

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

Charter schools must be guided by principles including meeting high student achievement standards, promoting academic success and financial efficiency, and providing parents with information on reading proficiency and annual learning gains.

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.

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

Effective date: July 1, 2020.