Charter school bills headed to Kentucky Legislature

At least two state legislators are talking about introducing charter school legislation in the Kentucky Legislature’s 2011 Regular Legislative Session.

In the House, Kentucky Represenative Brad Montell has already pre-filed a bill, (Bill Request 180), which apparently will be known during the session as House Bill 103, to introduce a five-year pilot program of 20 charter schools.

Some key features of this comprehensive bill:

• Authorizes public charter schools;

• Establishes the Public Charter School Commission and identifies membership selection and responsibilities to grant and manage charter schools and manage a new trust fund for charter schools;

• Provides information about charter school authorizers, their responsibilities;

• Describes charter school applications, renewals, and revocation process;

• Requires the commissioner of education to distribute charter school information to potential authorizers;

• Identifies student enrollment and withdrawal requirements to be followed by a charter school;

• Identifies employment conditions for charter school staff;

• Discusses how local, state, and federal funds will be distributed to charter schools using formulas and allocation processes used in non-charter schools;

• Includes charter school teachers within the state retirement system;

• Includes employees of boards of directors of public charter schools in the state-sponsored retirement system;

• Includes noncertified employees of public charter schools in the state-sponsored retirement system.


President of the Senate David Williams also has promised charter school action to both the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce during the past few weeks. So far, a specific bill has not been filed, but Senator Williams promised this and other key legislation will be presented to the Senate early in the 2011 session, providing enough time for full discussion in both houses.