MO SB503

Charter schools are independent public schools that may operate only in metropolitan or urban school districts with populations greater than 350,000 inhabitants and must be sponsored by school boards, four-year colleges/universities, community colleges, or private colleges/universities meeting specific accreditation requirements.

Sponsors may not charge fees for considering charter applications and must retain 1.5% of state and local funding (not to exceed $125,000 adjusted for inflation) to cover sponsorship expenses, except when the sponsor is a school district or state board of education.

Charter school boards must conduct criminal background checks and child abuse registry checks on all governing board members, prohibit board members from holding employment with the school or having substantial interests in contracting entities, and treat board members as decision-making public servants subject to financial disclosure requirements.

Charter applications must include mission statements, organizational structures, financial plans for three years, educational goals, curriculum descriptions, pupil performance standards, and governance descriptions; sponsors must approve or deny applications within 90 days, with denied applicants able to appeal to the state board of education.

Special administrative boards governing metropolitan school districts may sponsor charter schools with two-year renewable terms and may close charter schools at term end if academic standards are not met, allowing incorporation into the district.