Senate Bill No. 1337 Summary

• Authorizes public charter schools to be formed by creating new schools, replicating existing high-performing schools, or converting traditional public schools, with replication schools required to be in the top 20% of Idaho public schools or have completed one renewal cycle.

• Allows nonprofit charter school boards to hold multiple charters under conditions that each school has its own performance certificate and is independently accountable for academic, financial, and operational outcomes.

• Establishes charter holder restrictions prohibiting operation of enterprises other than authorized public charter schools and requiring educational services provider contracts to comply with specific governance, financial, and operational standards.

• Requires new and replication public charter schools to establish admission preference policies giving priority to students residing in the primary attendance area, with limited preferences for children of founders and full-time employees.

• Creates new replication petition procedures allowing high-performing schools authorized by the Public Charter School Commission or Idaho universities to replicate, subject to performance standards and notification requirements to affected school districts.