Bill Text: DE HB83 | 2015-2016 | 148th General Assembly | Draft
Bill Title: An Act To Amend Title 14 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Charter Schools.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-04-16 - Introduced and Assigned to Education Committee in House [HB83 Detail]
Download: Delaware-2015-HB83-Draft.html
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SPONSOR: |
Rep. Kowalko & Sen. Henry |
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Rep. Potter; Sen. McDowell |
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 148th GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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HOUSE BILL NO. 83 |
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AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS. |
Section 1.Amend §506, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions shown by underline as follows and redesignating accordingly:
§506 Restrictions.
(a) A charter school shall not:
(1) Charge tuition, except in accordance with Chapter 6 of this title, or collect fees not permitted to be assessed by other school districts;
(2) Be home-based nor engage in any sectarian or religious practices in its educational program, admissions policies, employment policies or operations;
(3) Restrict student admissions except:
a. By age and grade;
b. By lottery in the case of over-enrollment;
c. By gender in the case of a same-gender school, except that there may not be more than 1 same-gender school for each gender operating simultaneously, and any same-gender charter school authorized prior to June 30, 2014, may have their charter renewed and continue to operate. Any subsequent same-gender charter school that seeks to operate in the State shall make its application to the Department of Education and the State Board of Education.
d.-g. [Repealed.]
(4) Discriminate against any student
in the admissions process because of race, creed, color, sex (except in the
case of a same-gender school), handicap, or national origin, or because the
student's school district of residence has a per student local expenditure
lower than another student seeking admission; or
(5)Discriminate against any student in the admissions process because of the student's residence's proximity to the school; or
(5) (6) Be formed to circumvent a court-ordered
desegregation plan.
(b) Preferences in student admissions may be given to:
(1) Siblings of students currently enrolled at the school;
(2) Students attending an existing public school converted to charter status. Parents of students at a school converted to charter status shall be provided with a plan the district will use to address the educational needs of students who will not be attending the charter school;
(3) Students enrolling in a new (nonconverted) charter school may be given preference under any of the following circumstances as long as the school has described its preferences in the school's charter:
a. Students residing within a 5-mile
radius of the school;
b. a. Students residing within the
regular school district in which the school is located;
c. b. Students who have a specific
interest in the school's teaching methods, philosophy, or educational focus;
d. c. Students who are at risk of
academic failure;
e. d. Children of persons employed on a
permanent basis for at least 30.0 hours per week during the school year by the
charter school.
(4) Children of a school's founders, so long as they constitute no more than 5% of the school's total student population. For the purposes of this paragraph "founder" shall not include anyone whose sole significant contribution to the school was monetary, but otherwise shall be determined by the founding Board of Directors subject to Department of Education regulations.
Section 2.This Act shall take effect August 1, 2015.
SYNOPSIS
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This bill requires that all charter schools not discriminate against applicants based on their homes' location in comparison to the school.The bill also eliminates the possibility of a preference in the charter.Thus, this bill eases the restrictions on the enrollment process for students residing within a 5-mile radius of the school. |
