HB 443 - NC Public Charter School Board

• Creates the North Carolina Public Charter Schools Board as an independent body within the Department of Public Instruction with 11 voting members appointed by the Governor, General Assembly, and state officials to authorize and oversee charter schools statewide.

• Transfers charter school approval authority from the State Board of Education and local boards to the new Charter Board, which gains powers to approve applications, monitor operations, renew/revoke charters, and establish rules and fees for charter administration.

• Requires local school administrative units to transfer per pupil shares of local current expense funds to charter schools within 30 days of receipt and provide detailed financial information; allows prevailing parties in enforcement actions to recover attorneys' fees and interest.

• Removes teacher certification requirements (replacing with "licenses") and eliminates specific credential percentages for charter school staff; adds charter school criminal background check policy requirements for employee applicants.

• Provides tax exemption for buildings used by charter schools even if the charter school is not the owner, and allows charter schools to receive competitive bids to assume operations under new entity management with public assets transferring rather than reverting to General Fund.