HB0697 Summary

• Establishes local school councils for charter schools in Chicago, requiring each charter school to have a council with 12 voting members: the principal, 2 teachers, 6 parents, 1 non-teacher employee, and 2 community residents, plus 1 student member at secondary charter schools.

• Mandates that charter schools conduct non-binding, advisory polls of teachers and students to identify preferences for teacher and student council member appointments, though the charter school retains final appointment authority.

• Requires the Mayor to appoint initial local school council members and officers for all charter schools within 30 days of the bill's effective date, with subsequent elections and appointments following procedures beginning in the 2017-2018 school year.

• Specifies that charter school parent and community resident council members cannot be employees of the Board of Education, charter management organizations, or educational management organizations.

• Makes conforming changes to the School Code definitions to include charter schools within the local school council framework and applies the same conflict of interest disclosure and criminal background check requirements to charter school council members.