Bill Text: GA SB501 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Amended

Georgia Senate Bill 501 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Education; repeal article relating to Georgia Charter Schools Commission; establish Georgia Charter Schools Advisory Commission; membership

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-2)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-03-05 - Senate Read Second Time [SB501 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2011-SB501-Amended.html

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Senators Thompson of the 5th, Rogers of the 21st, Williams of the 19th and Carter of the 42nd offered the following amendment:

Amend SB 501 by striking line 4 and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

powers; to revise the duties of the Charter Advisory Committee; to require charter petitioners to

By striking lines 254 through 290 and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

"20-2-2063.1.

(a) The state board shall establish a Charter Advisory Committee to review charter petitions for charter systems for compliance with established standards of the state board, to make recommendations to the state board on charter policy, and to provide recommendations to the state board regarding charter petitions for charter systems. The committee shall be composed of nine members as follows:

(1) Three members appointed by the chairperson of the state board;

(2) Three members appointed by the Lieutenant Governor; and

(3) Three members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

All members shall serve at the pleasure of their respective appointing officials. The committee shall elect a chairperson from among its membership.

(b) The committee shall conduct itself in accordance with any rules and guidelines established by the state board with regard to timeframes, procedures, and protocol.

(c) The committee shall be authorized to request clarifying information from a charter petitioner and to receive input from interested parties on a charter petition for a charter system.

(d) The committee shall:

(1) Make recommendations to the state board of approval or denial on each charter petition for a charter system and shall specify the reasons for such recommendations;

(2) Periodically make recommendations to the state board regarding charter policy; and

(3) Make recommendations to the state board on the disbursement of planning grants for charter systems, if funds are made available.

(e) The committee shall be authorized to enter into contracts, subject to available funding, with one or more consultants to assist the committee in its duties and if directed to do so by the committee, to do the following:

(1) Assist charter petitioners for charter systems in the drafting of their petitions;

(2) Assist charter petitioners for charter systems in the design and implementation of innovative education programs and school level governance based on research, model programs, or other credible information;

(3) Monitor and assist charter schools and charter systems; and

(4) Perform any other functions related to the support of the committee.

(f) The committee shall work in cooperation with the Office of Charter School Compliance, as established pursuant to Code Section 20-2-2069.

(g) The members of the committee shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred by them in carrying out their duties.

(h) The committee shall be assigned to the Department of Education for administrative purposes only, as prescribed in Code Section 50-4-3."

By striking lines 294 through 308 and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

"(c) Prior to approval or denial of a charter petition for a charter system, the state board shall receive and give all due consideration to the recommendation and input from the Charter Advisory Committee established in Code Section 20-2-2063.1. The state board shall approve the charter if the state board finds, after receiving input from the Charter Advisory Committee, that the petition complies with the rules, regulations, policies, and procedures promulgated pursuant to Code Section 20-2-2063 and the provisions of this title, is in the public interest, and promotes school level governance."

"(e)(1) Subject to appropriations by the General Assembly or other available funding, the state board, after receiving input and recommendations from the Charter Advisory Committee, shall disburse planning grants to local school systems which desire to become charter systems. Such grants will be disbursed in accordance with any applicable guidelines, policies, and requirements established by the state board.

By striking lines 415 through 419 and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

(3) Process all charter school and charter system petitions and coordinate with the Charter Advisory Committee established pursuant to Code Section 20-2-2063.1 and the Georgia Charter Schools Advisory Commission established pursuant to Code Section 20-2-2082 to facilitate its their review and recommendations, as applicable, to local boards of education and the state board;