SF 379

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 03/26/2021 09:38am

A bill for an act
relating to charter schools; amending requirements for charter school authorizer
review; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 124E.05, subdivision 5.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 124E.05, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

Subd. 5.

Review by commissioner.

(a) The commissioner shall review an authorizer's
performance every five years in a manner and form determined by the commissioner, subject
to paragraphs (b) and (c), and may review an authorizer's performance more frequently at
the commissioner's own initiative or at the request of a charter school operator, charter
school board member, or other interested party. The commissioner, after completing the
review, shall transmit a report with findings to the authorizer.

(b) Consistent with this subdivision, the commissioner must:

(1) use criteria appropriate to the authorizer and the schools it charters to review the
authorizer's performance; and

(2) consult with authorizers, charter school operators, and other charter school
stakeholders in developing review criteria under this paragraph.

(c) The commissioner's form must use existing department data on the authorizer to
minimize duplicate reporting to the extent practicable. When reviewing an authorizer's
performance under this subdivision, the commissioner must not:

(1) fail to credit;

(2) withhold points; or

(3) otherwise penalize an authorizer for failing to charter additional schools or for the
absence of complaints against the authorizer's current portfolio of charter schools.

new text begin (d) An authorizer that is a school district that submitted a written promise under
subdivision 4, paragraph (b), may submit a new written promise to comply with the
requirements to the commissioner as part of the review process.
new text end