H778 - Charter School Changes

• Requires State Board of Education and Charter Schools Advisory Board to evaluate charter applications based on content and substance rather than format issues, with applicants given at least 5 business days to correct formatting errors.

• Allows charter school boards of directors to charge student fees with the same authority as local school boards, subject to annual reporting of fee schedules to the Department of Public Instruction.

• Directs Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee to study funding formulas for students with disabilities in charter schools and examine strategies to improve academic performance, financial stability, and cost-effectiveness of services.

• Directs Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee to study whether existing rules, procedures, and policies for charter schools are necessary and whether the administrative burden on charter schools is reasonable.

• Requires both committee studies to report findings and proposed legislation to the 2016 Regular Session of the General Assembly.