The bill CS/CS/HB 443 amends various sections of Florida Statutes concerning charter schools and lab schools, introducing new provisions and clarifying existing regulations. It designates charter schools as public facilities for concurrency purposes, allowing their inclusion in local comprehensive plans. The bill permits lab schools to use discretionary capital improvement funds for specific purposes, such as purchasing real property and constructing facilities, with the stipulation that expenditures remain at or below appraised value. Additionally, it establishes new requirements for charter schools regarding deadlines, student conduct codes, and enrollment increases, while revising the responsibilities of sponsors in monitoring these schools.

Moreover, the bill empowers charter school governing boards to create their own codes of student conduct, which must meet or exceed sponsor standards, and includes provisions for enrollment preferences for certain student populations. It allows high-performing charter schools to increase student enrollment beyond their charter capacity, provided it does not exceed facility capacity, and mandates written notification to sponsors regarding such increases. The bill also clarifies compliance with public meeting and safety statutes, modifies the administrative services sponsors must provide, and establishes a framework for administrative fees based on student enrollment. Overall, these amendments aim to enhance the operational flexibility of charter schools while ensuring accountability and adherence to state educational goals.

Statutes affected:
H 443 Filed: 1002.331
H 443 c1: 1002.331
H 443 c2: 1002.331, 1013.15, 1013.28
H 443 e1: 163.3180, 1002.331, 1006.195
H 443 er: 163.3180, 1002.331, 1006.195