House Bill 271 Summary

• Suspends home rule authority for local school districts for a period of 3-5 years, effective July 1, 2017, based on a statewide governance assessment by the State Board of Education and State Department of Education.

• Transfers all decision-making and governance power from local school boards to the State Department of Education during the improvement period, with local boards serving only in an advisory capacity.

• Allows the State Board of Education and Department to gradually return certain governing authorities to local school boards on a phased-in basis after the first year of state control, based on the level of administrative oversight needed.

• Requires the State Board of Education and Department to establish criteria for assessing local school districts and to notify each district of the length of its improvement period.

• Repeals these improvement provisions on July 1, 2022.