The bill seeks to improve accountability and oversight of public charter schools in Washington State, addressing challenges such as school closures and compliance failures. It introduces new requirements for charter school boards, including annual training for board members and staff, as well as accountability audits every three years. Key amendments focus on ensuring compliance with teacher certification requirements and timely reporting on noncertificated staff. The Washington State Charter School Commission is tasked with holding charter schools accountable for both academic success and operational integrity, while also mandating that boards inform families about any ongoing litigation affecting school operations.

Additionally, the bill amends the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) to enhance the oversight and performance evaluation of charter school authorizers by the state board of education. It establishes criteria for triggering special reviews of authorizers based on unsatisfactory performance or a high percentage of school closures. The state board must apply nationally recognized principles for quality charter authorizing and notify authorizers of compliance issues, allowing them time to address these problems. If issues persist, the board may revoke the authorizer's chartering authority. The bill also emphasizes transparency in the charter application process, mandates technical assistance for newer charter schools, and requires the establishment of a complaint system for students and parents, ensuring that charter schools maintain information about this process on their websites.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 28A.710.030, 28A.710.040, 28A.710.070, 28A.710.090, 28A.710.120, 28A.710.140, 28A.710.180, 28A.710.190
Substitute Bill: 28A.710.030, 28A.710.040, 28A.710.070, 28A.710.090, 28A.710.120, 28A.710.140, 28A.710.180, 28A.710.190
Engrossed Substitute: 28A.710.030, 28A.710.040, 28A.710.070, 28A.710.090, 28A.710.120, 28A.710.140, 28A.710.180, 28A.710.190
Bill as Passed Legislature: 28A.710.030, 28A.710.040, 28A.710.070, 28A.710.090, 28A.710.120, 28A.710.140, 28A.710.180, 28A.710.190
Session Law: 28A.710.030, 28A.710.040, 28A.710.070, 28A.710.090, 28A.710.120, 28A.710.140, 28A.710.180, 28A.710.190