KRS 160.15911: Kentucky Public Charter School Pilot Project -- Authorizers -- Approval

of charter application -- Collective may act as substitute authorizer -- Annual

report -- Performance review -- Contract renewal.

(1) The Kentucky Public Charter School Pilot Project is hereby established to study the

impact of public charter schools within the common school system.

(2) Authorizers for the pilot project shall include:

(a) A school board of a county school district located in a county with a

consolidated local government, which shall have authorizing jurisdiction

within the territory of the district's boundaries; and

(b) Notwithstanding KRS 160.1590, the board of regents of Northern Kentucky

University, which shall have authorizing jurisdiction within any county

containing four (4) or more local school districts. The board of regents shall

only become a pilot project authorizer if the board adopts a resolution

confirming the status by January 1, 2023. The board of regents shall send

notice of the resolution to each local board within the jurisdiction, the

Kentucky Board of Education, and the Legislative Research Commission. The

board of regents may decline to be an authorizer by July 1, 2023, in the same

manner.

(3) By July 1, 2023, each pilot project author izer shall solicit, review, and approve at

least one (1) charter application for a public charter school within the authorizer's

jurisdiction that serves as an urban academy. The charter contract shall be for a five

(5) year term, but otherwise subject to KRS 160.1590 to 160.1599. The pilot

authorizers shall submit a copy of the approved charter contracts to the Legislative

Research Commission.

(4) (a) If on July 1, 2023, the Northern Kentucky University board of regents is not a

pilot project authorizer, t hen notwithstanding KRS 160.1590, a collective of

metropolitan local school boards that is composed of two (2) members from

each local board of a district located in a county that contains four (4) or more

local school districts shall become a substitute p ilot project authorizer. Each

local board shall select its members to serve on the collective.

(b) The collective shall have authorizing authority within the collective districts'

boundaries. The collective shall adopt authorizer policies as if it were a s ingle

local board and may allocate authorizer fees as necessary to support authorizer

functions. The collective may contract with other governmental or nonprofit

organizations to assist with public charter school oversight.

(c) By July 1, 2024, the collec tive shall solicit, review, and approve at least one

(1) charter application for a public charter school within the authorizer's

jurisdiction that serves as an urban academy. The charter contract shall be for

a five (5) year term, but otherwise subject to KRS 160.1590 to 160.1599. The

pilot authorizers shall submit a copy of the approved charter contracts to the

Legislative Research Commission.

(5) By July 1 of each year the charter contract is in effect, the pilot project authorizers

shall submit an annual report to the Interim Joint Committee on Education and the

Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue detailing the authorizer's

oversight activities over the previous year. The report shall have content and be in a

format approved by the Educa tion Assessment and Accountability Review

Subcommittee with the assistance of the Office of Education Accountability.

(6) Starting in 2024 and until the initial charter contract ends, the Office of Education

Accountability shall annually review the perform ance of the public charter schools

authorized under this section and submit the report to the Interim Joint Committee

on Education and the Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue. The

Education Assessment and Accountability Review Subcommitte e may provide

guidance to the Office of Education Accountability on the content and format of the

report.

(7) Upon the end of the initial term of the charter contract, the pilot authorizers shall

review the reports under subsection (5) of this section and determine if the contract

shall be renewed in the same manner as any other charter contract under the

provisions of KRS 160.1598. The decision shall be appealable under KRS

160.1595.