PREFILED    NOV 19 2019

REFERENCE TITLE: charter schools; closures; notice

 

 

 

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-fourth Legislature

Second Regular Session

2020

 

 

HB 2008

 

Introduced by

Representatives Fillmore: Carroll, Peten

 

 

AN ACT

 

amending Title 15, chapter 1, article 8, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15-189.07; relating to charter schools.

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 


Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1.  Title 15, chapter 1, article 8, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-189.07, to read:

START_STATUTE15-189.07.  Charter schools; closures; notice; civil penalty; displaced pupils payment fund

A.  At least fifteen days before a charter school closes, the charter school governing body shall both:

1.  Provide written notice to all of the following:

(a)  The parents or guardians of all pupils enrolled in the charter school.

(b)  Each employee of the charter school.

(c)  The state board for charter schools.

2.  Post public notice of the closure both on the charter school's website and on the door of the schoolhouse.

B.  The state board for charter schools may impose a civil penalty of not more than $1,200 per pupil enrolled at the charter school at the time of the charter school's closure against a person that violates this section.  The state board for charter schools shall deposit, pursuant to sections 35‑146 and 35‑147, penalties collected pursuant to this subsection in the displaced pupils payment fund established by subsection C of this section.

C.  The displaced pupils payment fund is established consisting of monies deposited pursuant to subsection B of this section.  The state board for charter schools shall administer the fund.  Monies in the fund are subject to legislative appropriation and are exempt from the provisions of section 35‑190 relating to lapsing of appropriations.

D.  If a charter school governing body fails to provide notice of a closure as required by subsection A of this section, the parent or guardian of any pupil who attended the charter school may apply to the state board for charter schools to receive a payment from the displaced pupils payment fund.  If the parent or guardian has more than one pupil who was affected by the closure, the parent or guardian shall submit one application per pupil.  The state board for charter schools shall establish an application and procedures for the purposes of this subsection.  If the state board for charter schools determines that a pupil was affected by the closure of a charter school that did not provide notice in violation of subsection A of this section, the state board for charter schools shall distribute a payment from the displaced pupils payment fund in an amount of $1,200 to each parent or guardian who submits a valid application pursuant to this subsection.  If there are insufficient monies in the fund to award each eligible applicant $1,200, the payment amount shall be prorated accordingly.  END_STATUTE