Senate Bill 341 Summary

• Requires the state board of education to create a "pending reorganization" performance category for schools that undergo reorganization under this chapter.

• Applies to schools remaining in the lowest performance category for three or more consecutive years after initial placement, allowing reorganization through closing and transferring students, providing tuition for transfers to other districts, converting to charter schools, or combinations thereof.

• Establishes a three-part approval process requiring reorganization initiatives to be approved by either a majority governing body vote, a petition signed by at least 75% of teachers, a petition signed by at least 51% of parents, or any combination of these methods.

• Requires initiators to submit a detailed form to the Department of Education and mandates satisfaction of specified conditions within 120 days; subsequent reorganization initiatives are prohibited for at least five years after a reorganization takes place.

• Designates the department to post all initiatives on its website, verify petition signatures through the state board, and oversee tuition payment administration for students transferring to higher-performing schools in other districts.