Bill > S1282

This bill makes several changes to Florida's charter school laws, primarily focusing on contract agreements, operational requirements, and eligibility for high-performing status. Key provisions include requiring that any policies agreed upon between a charter school sponsor and a charter school must be incorporated into their charter contract, and that if a sponsor amends a policy, the charter school is not bound by the new version until it's also mutually agreed upon. It also allows Florida College System institutions operating teacher preparation programs to run one charter school serving kindergarten through 12th grade. The bill clarifies that governing boards or related entities of charter schools facing corrective action or financial recovery plans cannot apply to open additional schools and restricts expenditures once a charter is not renewed or terminated. Additionally, it revises the criteria for classifying a charter school system as "high-performing," requiring them to have originated in Florida and meet stricter performance and financial audit standards, and it removes the accreditation requirement for charter schools seeking capital outlay funding, instead focusing on operational history and financial stability. The bill also introduces new definitions for "management company" and clarifies what it means for a charter school to be "organized as or be operated by a nonprofit organization," while also prohibiting employees or their spouses from serving on a charter school's governing board.