H.F. No. 59 Summary

• Amends Minnesota Statutes section 124E.11 to modify charter school admission requirements and enrollment policies.

• Charter schools serving at least 90 percent deaf or hard-of-hearing students may give enrollment preference to students with primary disability of deaf or hard-of-hearing and cannot limit admission based on eligibility for additional special education services.

• Charter schools must develop and publish a lottery policy and process on their website when applications exceed capacity, with enrollment preferences given to siblings of enrolled pupils and foster children before accepting other pupils by lot.

• Duluth township charter schools in St. Louis County admitting kindergarten through grade 6 must give enrollment preference to students within a five-mile radius and to siblings of enrolled children.

• Charter schools may not limit admission based on intellectual ability, achievement, aptitude, or athletic ability, and cannot distribute services or goods as inducement for enrollment.