HB 842 -- Charter Schools

Sponsor:  Brooks

This bill allows any four-year college with an approved teacher
preparation program to sponsor a charter school if approved by
the State Board of Education.  Charter school governing board
members are considered to be decision-making public servants for
financial disclosure purposes and must live in the metropolitan
area in which the charter school is located.  Companies managing
charter schools are to be considered quasi-public governmental
bodies subject to the Sunshine Law.  Nonprofit corporations
managing charter schools must maintain a surety bond in an amount
no less than the total school aid funds to be received during the
year.

The bill clarifies what items must be submitted in the charter
application process and on what timetable.  The sponsor must
provide a monitoring plan for evaluating the school's academic
performance.  The state board may deny a charter based on the
sponsor's prior failure to exercise its responsibilities, and
charters may be reviewed when the operation or management is
transferred to another entity.  Charter schools must publish
financial reports and school report cards.  The Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education is given rule-making authority
in order to administer the charter school law.

No charter school may employ a teacher whose certificate has been
revoked or suspended.  An employee of an entity providing service
to a charter school may elect to participate in the retirement
plan of the employer.

Missouri House of Representatives
93rd General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated August 25, 2005 at 1:20 pm