Colorado Legislative Council Staff

NO FISCAL IMPACT

TITLE:            CONCERNING CHARTER SCHOOLS.

Summary of Assessment

            This bill modifies several statutes affecting charter schools. Specific provisions of the bill include:

            •   a charter school applicant does not have to provide personal identifying information concerning any teacher, parent, or prospective pupil prior to the time that the charter is approved and the charter school either employs the teacher or enrolls the pupil;

            •   a charter school would be granted the authority to sue and be sued for enforcement of the terms of any contract for services to which the charter school may be a party and for enforcement of the terms of the charter school's operating contract with the school district;

            •   any moneys received by a charter school and remaining in the charter school's accounts at the end of a budget year shall remain in such accounts for use by the charter school in subsequent budget years and shall not revert to the school district or to the state; and

            •   in situations in which federal law requires a school district to provide transportation to a student with a disability, the bill prohibits the school district from denying transportation just because the student's parent chooses to enroll the student in an appropriate program at a charter school.

            The bill would not affect the revenues or expenditures of the state or local school districts. Therefore, the bill is assessed as having no fiscal impact. The only potential cost associated with the bill is potential attorney or court costs related to lawsuits initiated by the charter school affecting contracts for services or for the enforcement of the terms of the charter school's operating contract with the school district. These costs would be paid from funds available within the budget of the charter school.

            The bill would become effective 90 days after adjournment.

Departments Contacted

            Education