Seeks Charter Expansion Approval Authority
Board Approves Legislative “Wish List”
The SBOE approved a 14-item list of legislative recommendations in advance of the upcoming session that starts on Jan. 8.
The list includes recommendations asking the Legislature to:
- Give the SBOE the authority to approve the education commissioner’s proposed charter expansion amendments instead of limiting the board’s authority to only being able to veto the commissioner’s selections for new charter districts.Note: Examples of charter expansion amendments include requests by charters to expand the grades served, increase the number of campuses, and expand the geographic areas in which charters can locate campuses.
- Create and fund a statewide charter enrollment management system to provide a real-time system to track charter student wait lists for prospective new charter applicants.
- Increase funding for school counselors and mental health services.
- Require vendors for K-12 schools and libraries to filter inappropriate content, such as obscene and pornographic images, for minors.
- Approve the education commissioner’s $20 million exceptional items appropriations request (to attract and train effective and diverse educators and for targeted measures to reduce achievement gaps within districts and school environments).