GA HB1257

Local boards of education approving new charter school petitions after June 30, 2025 will receive $250,000 incentive grants by September 1 of each of the first three years of operation, with total grants capped at $2.25 million per fiscal year

Transfers responsibilities from the State Charter Schools Commission to the Office of Charter School Compliance, which will report directly to the State Board of Education and provide technical assistance to local school systems on charter authorization

Expands eligible charter school organizational structures to include nonprofit companies (in addition to corporations) and subsidiaries under exclusive control of a nonprofit organization

Restricts the State Charter Schools Commission from acting on petitions from existing charter schools seeking state authorization unless the local board has voted to terminate, nonrenew, or failed to renew the charter contract

Reduces the record retention period for closed state charter schools from one year to 180 days before records must be transferred to the commission; incentive grant provisions automatically repeal on July 1, 2035