HB 6097 Summary

• Requires state board of education approval before authorizing bodies can issue contracts to establish public school academies, urban high school academies, schools of excellence, and strict discipline academies.

• Adds state board oversight and approval process for all new charter school-type contracts, with the state board evaluating factors including available resources, populations served, educational goals, and applicant qualifications.

• Removes previous caps on public school academy contracts issued by state public universities (previously limited to 500 contracts through December 31, 2014; now unlimited after that date).

• Increases petition signature requirement for strict discipline academies from 5% to 15% of school district electors seeking ballot approval when local school board denies application.

• Establishes reporting requirements for cyber schools including monthly enrollment reports to the department and provisions for offering computers and subsidized internet access to enrolled pupils' families.