Charter Legislation Passes House (With Eight Question Summary)

On Friday, March 3, the House Education Committee and the Kentucky House of Representatives voted on an amended version of House Bill 520 on charter schools. The amendments:

• Allow mayors in Fayette and Jefferson Counties as additional authorizers for charter schools
• Limit most charter schools to admitting students from the district where the school is located
• Allow ‘’regional achievement academies” as a form of charter school to be formed in Campbell and Kenton Counties that will be allowed admit students from all the districts of those counties
• Prohibit virtual charters
• Remove rules for how charter schools will be funded and how charter school employees will participate in retirement systems
• Allow Kentucky Board of Education appeals rulings to be further appealed to the “district court of appeals"

You can download the updated Prichard Committee analysis of the legislation using the “Eight Key Questions For Any Charter School” here, and the complete bill text here.

The bill now moves to consideration by the Senate Education Committee.