House Bill 279 - Charter Schools Summary

• Allows chartering entities to accept charter school petitions at a later date than the September 1 deadline if both parties agree in writing.

• Restructures the petition process for new charter schools by requiring completion of a state-developed application, notification to overlapping school districts 4 weeks prior to submission, and establishes timelines for authorizer review and decision (within 10-12 weeks).

• Expands admission procedures for new and replication charter schools to include preferences for children of full-time employees (in addition to founders and siblings) and children who previously attended and withdrew due to relocation.

• Changes the initial charter term from 3 years to 5 years, commencing July 1 preceding the school's first year of operation.

• Authorizes state department of education to offer charter school workshops electronically and requires at least one petitioner to attend in person or electronically before submission.