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H.B. 160 Enrolled

             1     

CHARTER SCHOOL LAW REVISIONS
             2      2008 GENERAL SESSION
             3      STATE OF UTAH
             4      Chief Sponsor: Rebecca D. Lockhart
             5      Senate Sponsor: Dan R. Eastman
             6      Cosponsors:
             7      Bradley M. Daw
             8      Craig A. Frank
             9      Gage Froerer
             10      Christopher N. HerrodGregory H. Hughes
Eric K. Hutchings
Todd E. Kiser
Merlynn T. Newbold
Michael E. NoelCurtis Oda
Aaron Tilton
Stephen H. Urquhart
Mark W. Walker              11     
             12      LONG TITLE
             13      General Description:
             14          This bill modifies provisions relating to charter schools.
             15      Highlighted Provisions:
             16          This bill:
             17          .    modifies the appointment procedures for the staff director of the State Charter
             18      School Board;
             19          .    modifies provisions relating to the purposes and status of charter schools;
             20          .    requires the State School Board, in consultation with the State Charter School
             21      Board, to make rules relating to charter school accountability; and
             22          .    makes technical corrections.
             23      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             24          None
             25      Other Special Clauses:
             26          None
             27      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             28      AMENDS:
             29          53A-1a-501.7, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2004, Chapter 251
             30          53A-1a-503, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2004, Chapter 251

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             31          53A-1a-503.5, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2004, Chapter 251
             32      ENACTS:
             33          53A-1a-519, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             34     
             35      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             36          Section 1. Section 53A-1a-501.7 is amended to read:
             37           53A-1a-501.7. State Charter School Board -- Staff director -- Facilities.
             38          (1) (a) The State Charter School Board, with the consent of the superintendent of
             39      public instruction, shall appoint a staff director for the State Charter School Board [shall be
             40      appointed by the superintendent of public instruction, with the consent of the State Charter
             41      School Board].
             42          [(b) If the State Charter School Board withholds consent of an appointment, the board
             43      shall state its reasons in writing to the superintendent of public instruction.]
             44          [(c)] (b) The State Charter School Board [may petition the superintendent of public
             45      instruction for removal of the staff director for cause; however, the superintendent of public
             46      instruction] shall have [sole] authority to remove the staff director with the consent of the
             47      superintendent of public instruction.
             48          [(d)] (c) The position of staff director is exempt from the career service provisions of
             49      Title 67, Chapter 19, Utah State Personnel Management Act.
             50          (2) The superintendent of public instruction shall provide space for staff of the State
             51      Charter School Board in facilities occupied by the Utah State Office of Education, with costs
             52      charged for the facilities equal to those charged other sections and divisions within the Utah
             53      State Office of Education and Utah State Office of Rehabilitation.
             54          Section 2. Section 53A-1a-503 is amended to read:
             55           53A-1a-503. Purpose.
             56          The purposes of the state's charter schools as a whole are to:
             57          (1) continue to improve student learning;
             58          (2) encourage the use of different and innovative teaching methods;

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             59          (3) create new professional opportunities for educators that will allow them to actively
             60      participate in designing and implementing the learning program at the school;
             61          (4) increase choice of learning opportunities for students;
             62          (5) establish new models of public schools and a new form of accountability for schools
             63      that emphasizes the measurement of learning outcomes and the creation of innovative
             64      measurement tools;
             65          (6) provide opportunities for greater parental involvement in management decisions at
             66      the school level; and
             67          (7) expand public school choice in areas where schools have been identified for school
             68      improvement, corrective action, or restructuring under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001,
             69      20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301 et seq.
             70          Section 3. Section 53A-1a-503.5 is amended to read:
             71           53A-1a-503.5. Status of charter schools.
             72          (1) Charter schools are:
             73          (a) considered to be public schools within the state's public education system; [and]
             74          (b) subject to Subsection 53A-1-401 (3)[.]; and
             75          (c) governed by independent boards and held accountable to a legally binding written
             76      contractual agreement.
             77          (2) A charter school may be established by creating a new school or converting an
             78      existing public school to charter status.
             79          Section 4. Section 53A-1a-519 is enacted to read:
             80          53A-1a-519. Accountability -- Rules.
             81          In accordance with Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act and
             82      after consultation with the State Charter School Board, the State Board of Education shall
             83      make rules that:
             84          (1) require a charter school to develop an accountability plan, approved by the State
             85      Charter School Board, during its first year of operation;
             86          (2) require a charter school authorizer to:

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             87          (a) visit a charter school at least once during:
             88          (i) its first year of operation; and
             89          (ii) the review period described under Subsection (3); and
             90          (b) provide written reports to its charter schools after the visits; and
             91          (3) establish a review process that is required of a charter school once every five years
             92      by its authorizer.

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