HF 1838

1st Engrossment - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 04/07/2015 12:30pm

A bill for an act
relating to education; requiring recommendations regarding certain charter
school authorizers.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. new text begin TERMINATED AND WITHDRAWING AUTHORIZERS;
RECOMMENDATIONS.
new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of education must develop and submit recommendations to the
K-12 education policy and finance committees of the legislature by February 15, 2016, to
address circumstances where a charter school authorizer is terminated or withdraws as an
authorizer, either unilaterally or under a mutual agreement with affected charter schools,
and how charter schools are closed and dissolved. In developing recommendations about
how to operate a charter school when an authorizer is terminated or withdraws, the
commissioner, at a minimum, must address the following:
new text end

new text begin (1) how to operate a charter school having a terminated or withdrawing authorizer
and, if an interim authorizer and contract are recommended, what entities may serve as
an interim authorizer, what standards and process for approving that interim authorizer
apply, the extent of an interim authorizer's responsibilities for a charter school, and the
remaining obligations of the terminated or withdrawing authorizer toward the charter
school and interim authorizer, including reports and fees and any other obligations of the
terminated or withdrawing authorizer to continue to perform under the charter school
contract until a date certain;
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new text begin (2) how a poorly performing charter school might be operated differently than
other charter schools in this circumstance, including how an interim and any successor
authorizer might intervene with a poorly performing charter school;
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new text begin (3) what is and what happens with a poorly performing interim authorizer;
new text end

new text begin (4) whether the charter school must close and be dissolved if no qualified authorizer
is available when the interim period expires; and
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new text begin (5) the Department of Education's role under this paragraph.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner of education must consult with the Minnesota Association of
Charter Schools, the Minnesota Association of Charter School Authorizers, Charter School
Partners, the Minnesota Business Partnership, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce,
and other interested education stakeholders in developing the recommendations under
paragraph (a).
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end