Substitute Senate Bill No. 138, also known as Public Act No. 26-106, implements key recommendations from the Department of Education regarding charter schools and educational service centers. The bill repeals and replaces subsections (b) and (c) of section 10-66bb, effective July 1, 2026, allowing various educational entities, including not-for-profit organizations and boards of education, to apply for charter school approval while prohibiting nonpublic schools and home instruction groups from doing so. The Commissioner of Education is tasked with aligning the timing for initial charter approvals with the state budget preparation starting July 1, 2027. Additionally, the bill modifies the transportation grant process for regional educational service centers, requiring an auditor's financial review and changing the payment structure to allow upfront payments based on prior documentation.

The bill also streamlines the surrogate parent program by repealing Section 10-94l(a) and (b) and replacing it with a more efficient appointment process for surrogate parents of foster children. It updates Section 10-223h by removing outdated reporting requirements and establishing new annual reporting obligations for the Commissioner of Education regarding the academic performance of schools in the commissioner's network. Furthermore, it repeals and substitutes Section 10-262p, emphasizing ongoing evaluations of the commissioner's network and requiring a report on its impact on student achievement. The bill introduces provisions for regional school districts, mandating independent reviews of budget plans and including essential components such as facility recommendations and transportation cost considerations. Overall, the bill aims to enhance financial transparency and planning in education.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 10-15c, 10-66q, 10-94l, 10-156bb, 10-156cc, 10-156ee, 10-156ff, 10-156jj, 10-156ii
ED Joint Favorable Substitute: 10-66q, 10-94l, 10-226h, 10-262p, 10-146h
File No. 493: 10-66q, 10-94l, 10-226h, 10-262p, 10-146h
Public Act No. 26-106: 10-66q, 10-94l, 10-262p