This bill amends the Public School Code of 1949 to create a Cyber Charter School Funding and Policy Council tasked with developing recommendations on funding processes, amounts, and restrictions for cyber charter schools. The council will also address policies related to governance, enrollment, and assessment of these schools, holding public hearings for stakeholder input. Recommendations must be submitted to the Governor, Secretary of Education, and the General Assembly by April 1, 2026, and will require legislative approval to take effect. Additionally, the bill modifies existing provisions regarding advertising and sponsorships in public schools, mandates annual financial reporting on media expenditures, and updates special education expenditure reporting requirements.

The legislation introduces new accountability measures for cyber charter schools, including detailed financial statement submissions and penalties for noncompliance. It establishes limits on unassigned fund balances, capping them at 12% of total expenditures starting in the 2025-2026 school year, and prohibits financial incentives for enrollment. The bill also introduces a moratorium on new cyber charter school applications from the 2025-2026 to 2029-2030 school years, enhances enrollment notification requirements, and increases special education funding allocations. Furthermore, it specifies criteria for funding eligibility and caps the total funding a school district or charter school can receive in a school year. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 1795 (May 30, 2025): P.L.30, No.14, P.L. 343, No.176
Printer's No. 1807 (Jun 02, 2025): P.L.30, No.14, P.L. 343, No.176
Printer's No. 1829 (Jun 03, 2025): P.L.30, No.14, P.L. 343, No.176