Second Regular Session Sixty-seventh General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO INTRODUCED LLS NO. 10-0711.01 Jane Ritter HOUSE BILL 10-1344 HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Carroll T., SENATE SPONSORSHIP (None), House Committees Senate Committees Education A BILL FOR AN ACT Concerning the establishment of quality standards for chartering authorities of charter schools. Bill Summary (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://www.leg.state.co.us/billsummaries.) The bill defines and describes specific quality standards to which school district boards of education and the state charter school institute, in their capacity as chartering authorities of charter schools, must adhere on or before July 1, 2011. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. 22-30.5-103, Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SUBSECTION to read: 22-30.5-103. Definitions. As used in this part 1, unless the context otherwise requires: (1.5) "Authorizer" means a school district that has authorized a charter school or the state charter school institute established pursuant to section 22-30.5-503. SECTION 2. Part 1 of article 30.5 of title 22, Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION to read: 22-30.5-116. Chartering authorities - authorizing standards. (1) On or before July 1, 2011, each authorizer, in exercising its authority to authorize a charter school pursuant to this part 1, shall certify to the state board that it meets the standards adopted by the state board pursuant to subsection (2) of this section. The state board is authorized to establish criteria for the certification. The standards for authorizers shall include, at a minimum: (a) Approaching authorization of charter schools deliberately and thoughtfully, with the intent to improve the quality of public school options; (b) Supporting and advancing the purposes of the charter school laws, including but not limited to the provisions of this part 1; (c) Being a catalyst for charter school development to satisfy any unmet educational needs of the school district; (d) Striving for clarity, consistency, and transparency in developing and implementing charter authorizing policies and procedures and using formal policies, whenever possible, to guide its work as an authorizer; (e) Being a source of accurate, intelligible, performance-based information about the charter schools that it has authorized; (f) Holding charter schools it has authorized accountable for their performance; (g) Using objective and verifiable measures of student achievement as the primary measure of charter school quality; (h) Helping parents and students make decisions and stay informed about the quality of education provided in charter schools; (i) Making the well-being of students the fundamental value informing all of its decision-making and actions; and (j) Taking into account, in all decision making, the size, mission, and any special populations served by a charter school and making all decisions commensurate with these features of the school. (2) On or before January 1, 2011, the state board shall adopt standards for quality charter school authorizing that are consistent with subsection (1) of this section. The standards shall take into account and appropriately reflect accepted national standards that may be referenced in decisions on charter school approvals, renewals, revocations, and appeals. The state board may appoint a committee of educators, parents, industry leaders, and other interested parties to assist in developing the standards. (3) On or before July 1, 2011, each local board of education, in exercising its authority to authorize a charter school pursuant to this part 1, shall meet or exceed the standards for quality charter school authorizing established by the state board pursuant to subsection (2) of this section. (4) An authorizer may meet the authorizer standards established by the state board pursuant to subsection (2) of this section by contracting with a third party that meets said standards to perform its authorizing functions, including a board of cooperative services, the state charter school institute, or other authorizer. SECTION 3. Part 5 of article 30.5 of title 22, Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION to read: 22-30.5-519. State charter school institute - authorizing standards. The provisions of section 22-30.5-116 regarding standards for local boards of education when reviewing and granting or denying a charter school's application for charter or renewal shall also apply to the state charter school institute. SECTION 4. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act shall take effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August 11, 2010, if adjournment sine die is on May 12, 2010); except that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part shall not take effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in November 2010 and shall take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.