Senate Bill No. 545 Summary

• Expands charter school eligibility to unaccredited districts and provisionally accredited districts that meet specific performance criteria, with limited sponsorship options based on district classification.

• Creates new section 161.096 authorizing the state board of education to classify individual school buildings within unaccredited districts separately from the district as a whole.

• Establishes section 167.133 allowing students in unaccredited districts to transfer to accredited districts in the same or adjoining county, with capacity limits and admissions procedures determined by receiving districts.

• Creates section 167.135 requiring a clearinghouse system in metropolitan school districts and large charter form of government counties to coordinate student transfers from unaccredited to accredited districts, with defined procedures and deadlines for applications.

• Modifies student transportation and tuition provisions in sections 167.121, 167.131, and 167.241, and grants unaccredited districts authority under section 171.031 to extend school days and hours upon board resolution.