Senate Bill 8
February 22, 2011
A summary of Senate Bill 8, No Cap on Number of Charter Schools follows:
Eliminates the cap of 100
Establishes a North Carolina Public Charter Schools Commission (“Commission”) to authorize, monitor, and report on all charter activity.
Adds to “purposes” of charter law the “replication of successful charter schools”
Increases the minimum items to be included in a charter application significantly
Removes the authorization of charters from the SBE, the LEAs, and the universities
Removes enrollment growth limits
Allows an LEA to convert a district school to a charter and receive the same exemptions as a charter
Allows for out of state students to attend NC charters if paying full per pupil allotment (limited to 10% of enrollment at school)
Allows for establishment of charters designed for limited targeted groups, at risk, same gender, etc.
Provides for remaining assets purchased with public funds, after dissolution of a charter, to revert to LEA only after creditors are satisfied
Removes administrative hearing review process for revocations and non-renewals
Provides for the acquisition and leasing of realty and equipment with state funds
Allows for supplemental taxes to follow the charter student regardless of where he goes
Requires an LEA to give an accounting of funds to charters within 15 days of receipt and to pay a penalty of 1% for failure to do so
Allows for counties to give funds to charters for real estate acquisition or lease
Closes loophole previously blocking tax exempt status for charter facilities owned by non-profit but leased to charter
Restates the definition of the “local current expense fund” to include items previously removed in the 2010 Budget Act, thereby increasing charter local allotments
Allows for counties to allocate lottery funds to charters for facilities
Allows counties to appropriate local funds to charters for facilities
Stay Connected!