The bill amends Florida Statutes concerning charter schools by introducing new requirements and clarifications aimed at enhancing accountability and operational flexibility. It allows charter school governing boards to create their own codes of student conduct, which must meet or exceed the standards set by their sponsors. Additionally, charter schools are required to notify their sponsors in writing by March 1 if they intend to increase student enrollment beyond the capacity specified in their charter. The bill also ensures that sponsors cannot impose earlier administrative deadlines on charter schools than their own, thereby providing adequate time for compliance. Furthermore, it clarifies that charter schools are not exempt from certain statutes related to public meetings and records, and it includes provisions regarding charter school capacity and sponsor responsibilities.

Moreover, the bill mandates that sponsors provide student performance data to charter schools and their contractors, with specific conditions on withholding administrative fees based on student enrollment. It prohibits sponsors from charging additional fees for administrative and educational services beyond a set maximum percentage and requires annual reporting of the total funding withheld from charter schools. The definition and operational guidelines for high-performing charter schools are also modified, allowing for more flexible enrollment increases and the ability to assume the charters of existing schools within the same district. The language changes include replacing "shall" with "must" regarding facility capacity and adjusting timelines for sponsor responses to charter modification requests. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
S 822 Filed: 1002.331