Amends the Charter Schools Article of the School Code. Provides that on July 1, 2027, any charter school authorized by the State Board of Education and located outside of the geographical area of a district located in a city of over 500,000 inhabitants shall have its authorization transferred to the local board or boards for each district from which the charter school draws enrollment. Provides that all authorizer powers, duties, contracts, and pending business of the State Board as the school's authorizer must be transferred to the local board or boards. Provides that all charter contract terms shall remain in full force and effect unless amended by mutual agreement of the parties, except that the term of the contract shall be 7 years starting July 1, 2027. Provides that if a State-authorized charter school that is subject to transfer is authorized to enroll students from more than one district, the boards of all districts from which the charter school draws enrollment must establish a joint charter management team that consists of at minimum one administrator from each district. Provides that the joint charter management team must develop and execute a charter oversight plan that is submitted to the State Board as part of the charter certification process. Provides that final decisions of a local school board to deny, revoke, or not renew a charter are subject to judicial review under the Administrative Review Law. Removes language providing that: the State Board of Education may reverse a local board's decision to revoke or not renew a charter if the State Board finds that the charter school or charter school proposal (i) is in compliance with the Article and (ii) is in the best interests of the students it is designed to serve; the State Board may condition the granting of an appeal on the acceptance by the charter school of funding in an amount less than that requested in the proposal submitted to the local school board; and the State Board must appoint and utilize a hearing officer for any appeals. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.
Senate Floor Amendment No. 1: Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Charter Schools Law of the School Code. Provides that on July 1, 2027, any charter school that is authorized by the State Board of Education, is located outside of the geographical area of the Chicago school district, and serves students in any of grades kindergarten through 8 shall have the charter school's authorization transferred to the school board or boards for each school district from which the charter school draws enrollment. Removes language providing that in any appeal filed with the State Board, both the applicant and the authorizing school district of the charter school shall have the right to request a hearing before the State Board. Provides that on that date, all authorizer powers, duties, contracts, and pending business of the State Board as the charter school's authorizer must be transferred to the board or boards; and all charter contract terms shall remain in full force and effect unless amended by mutual agreement of the parties, except that the term of the contract shall be 7 years starting on July 1, 2027. Provides that if a State-authorized charter school that is subject to transfer is authorized to enroll students from more than one school district, the boards of all of the school districts from which the charter school draws enrollment must establish a joint charter management team that consists of, at a minimum, one administrator from each school district. Provides that nothing in the provisions may be construed as making a school district liable for any preexisting debt or obligation that a charter school may have undertaken prior to the transfer of authorization. Allows the State Board to adopt such rules as may be necessary to implement the provisions. Makes other changes.
Senate Floor Amendment No. 2: Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Charter Schools Law of the School Code. Provides that on July 1, 2027, any charter school (i) that is authorized by the State Board of Education, (ii) that is located outside of the Chicago school district, and (iii) whose authorization allows for the charter school to enroll students who reside within the geographic boundaries of more than one school district or to enroll students who reside within the geographic boundaries of a school district that has a student enrollment of at least 29,000 students shall have the charter school's authorization transferred to the school board or boards of the districts from which the charter school draws enrollment. Provides that all charter contract terms shall remain in full force and effect unless amended by mutual agreement of the parties, except that the term of the contract shall be 7 years starting July 1, 2027. Provides that if a State-authorized charter school that is subject to transfer is authorized to enroll students from more than one school district, the school boards of the school districts from which the charter school draws enrollment must establish a joint charter management team that consists of, at minimum, one administrator from each school district to develop and execute a charter oversight plan that is submitted to the State Board as part of the charter certification process. Allows the State Board to adopt any rules that may be necessary to implement the provisions of the amendatory Act. Makes other changes.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 105 ILCS 5/27
Engrossed: 105 ILCS 5/27