HF 4488 Summary

• School districts may adopt one of four optional reorganization plans following voter approval: elected leadership district, decentralized district, county-partner district, or home rule district.

• A school board may submit a reorganization plan to voters at any regular or special election, or must do so if at least 15 percent of voters from the previous board election petition for it; only one plan may be submitted per election and no new plan may be submitted until an existing plan has been in effect for at least three years.

• Adoption and abandonment of plans require majority voter approval; once adopted, a plan remains in effect until abandoned by majority vote at a subsequent election after at least three years.

• Elected leadership district allows voters to directly elect the board chair while retaining all superintendent authorities and duties.

• Decentralized district permits schools to operate with autonomy over governance, leadership models, budgets, curriculum, and policies while the district retains oversight through written contracts and administrative functions.

• County-partner district allows the district to contract with counties, non-profit entities, or governmental units for non-instructional support services such as transportation, facilities, food service, and child care.

• Home rule district permits adoption of a board-approved home rule charter providing any governance structure not inconsistent with the state constitution.