HF2706 Summary

• Modifies charter school formation and expansion processes by allowing schools to apply directly to authorizers for charter amendments to expand grades, rather than requiring supplementary affidavits to the commissioner for each expansion.

• Establishes new requirements for affiliated nonprofit building corporations, including mandatory posting of governance documents on school websites, requirement that schools operate for at least 6 years before organizing such a corporation, and strict prohibition on building corporations serving as leasing agents for properties they do not own.

• Changes charter school grade authorization from starting at "five years of age" to "prekindergarten," allowing charter schools to serve younger students and establishing that enrolled prekindergarten students have preference for kindergarten enrollment.

• Adds transparency and oversight requirements for charter management agreements by requiring detailed disclosure of services provided and annual costs with audit reports, and restricting authorizers from requiring schools to contract for services as a condition of charter approval or renewal.

• Strengthens charter school board governance by requiring annual training for all board members, with new members automatically ineligible to serve if they fail to complete required initial training within 12 months of being seated.