SB 762 Summary

• Expands definition of "high-risk" students for charter school purposes to include students who have dropped out, are at risk of dropping out, need drug and alcohol treatment, have severe behavioral problems, have a history of severe truancy, are pregnant or parenting teens, have been referred by the judicial system, are exiting incarceration, are refugees, or meet department guidelines.

• Allows high-risk or alternative charter schools to include alternative arrangements for students to obtain graduation credits, including off-campus instruction, performance-based credit, work experience through internships, and independent studies.

• Permits charter schools with dropout prevention or recovery missions to enroll nonresident students considered high-risk or dropouts who reside in residential care facilities, transitional living homes, or independent living programs and whose last school enrollment was in that district.

• Establishes the "School Flex Program" allowing students in grades 11-12 or ages 17-21 without a high school degree to attend minimum two instructional hours daily while pursuing employment, college, or technical education to achieve timely graduation.

• Requires charter schools to conduct alternative performance assessments for high-risk students and mandates the department study these schools after three years to assess graduation rates, educational outcomes, and workforce or higher education entry.