SB 18-118: Local School Board Authority Over Charter Schools

Under current law, if a school district board of education (local school board) denies an application for a charter school or revokes or refuses to renew an existing charter, the charter applicant or charter school can appeal the decision to the state board of education (state board). If the state board remands the decision for reconsideration and the local school board confirms its prior decision, the charter applicant or charter school can appeal to the state board again, and the state board may order the local school board to grant the charter application or to reinstate or renew the existing charter. The bill removes the second appeal for denial of a charter application or the revocation or nonrenewal of an existing charter. If a charter applicant or charter school appeals a local school board's decision to deny an application or revoke or not renew an existing charter, the state board may remand the decision to the local school board for reconsideration, but the local school board's decision upon remand is final and not subject to further appeal. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)  

CEA supports this bill because current law allows the State Board of Education to overrule locally elected school boards in decisions to approve or renew charter schools or applicants. This threatens the fiduciary responsibility of a local school board to manage locally-raised revenue.