Bill > S254

This bill proposes several significant changes to charter school regulations in North Carolina, primarily focusing on expanding the powers of the North Carolina Charter Schools Review Board and modifying various operational aspects of charter schools. The bill shifts more authority from the Superintendent of Public Instruction to the Charter Schools Review Board, giving the Review Board increased responsibilities in rule-making, approving charter terms, and conducting hearings. Key provisions include allowing charter schools to relocate within a 10-mile radius of their original location without prior approval, permitting charter schools to develop their own teacher evaluation systems, and enabling remote academies with over 250 students to request a separate charter. The bill also removes the requirement for charter schools to list class rank on student transcripts and provides that low-performing charter schools must prepare improvement plans. Additionally, the legislation mandates that the Department of Public Instruction provide free access to financial data reporting platforms for charter schools in their first year of operation and requires separate performance evaluations for remote charter academies. The bill allocates $82,100 per fiscal year to support the Charter Schools Review Board's operations and explicitly allows the board to retain independent legal counsel. These changes aim to provide more flexibility and autonomy to charter schools while maintaining accountability through performance monitoring.

Government Affairs, Justice

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S254