HB 424-FN – AS INTRODUCED
2013 SESSION
04/03
HOUSE BILL 424-FN
AN ACT relative to review of chartered public school applications by the state board of education.
SPONSORS: Rep. Boehm, Hills 20; Rep. Pitre, Straf 2; Rep. Ladd, Graf 4
This bill requires the state board of education to provide technical assistance to improve a chartered public school’s application, requires the state board to grant charter status to any applicant that meets the application requirements, and requires the state board to assess all the elements of a chartered public school application and specify all areas in that application deemed deficient.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
13-0569
04/03
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Thirteen
AN ACT relative to review of chartered public school applications by the state board of education.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Chartered Public Schools; Establishment. Amend RSA 194-B:3, XII to read as follows:
XII. For specific periods of time and for good cause shown, a school board and the state board may waive any deadlines applying in this section to their respective actions. A school board and the state board [may] shall provide technical assistance to improve a chartered public school’s application or to speed the approval process. An applicant whose proposed application is not approved by a school board or by the state board shall be granted the opportunity to present a revised application for reconsideration. The school board and the state board shall undertake all actions necessary to promote the establishment and operation of chartered public schools in this state.
2 Chartered Public Schools; Approval by State Board of Education. Amend RSA 194-B:3-a, I to read as follows:
I. The state board of education [may] shall grant charter status to applicants that meet the requirements of this chapter.
3 Chartered Public Schools; Approval by State Board of Education. Amend RSA 194-B:3-a, IV to read as follows:
IV. Consistent with the provisions of RSA 194-B:3, XII and in order to expedite the approval process, the state board of education shall either approve or deny an application using reasonable discretion in the assessment of all the elements set forth in RSA 194-B:3, II, (a)-(bb) and (dd). Approval of an application constitutes the granting of charter status and the right to operate as a [public] chartered public school. The state board of education shall notify all applicants of its decision in writing, and shall include in any notice of denial a written statement specifying [any] all areas deemed deficient, the reasons for the denial, and explaining that the applicant may reapply under RSA 194-B:3 or under this section in a subsequent year.
4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
LBAO
13-0569
Revised 09/19/13
HB 424 FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT relative to review of chartered public school applications by the state board of education.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of Education states this bill, as introduced, will increase state expenditures by $49,640 in FY 2014 and each year thereafter, and increase local expenditures by $18,527 in FY 2014 and each year thereafter. There will be no fiscal impact on state, county, and local revenues or county expenditures.
METHODOLOGY:
The Department of Education states the proposed legislation will require the Department and local school board to provide technical assistance to improve a chartered public school’s application or to speed the approval process and undertake all actions necessary to promote the establishment and operation of chartered public schools in the state. The proposed legislation also requires the state board of education to grant charter status to applicants that meet the requirements set forth by chapter 194-B of the New Hampshire Statutes.
Current law authorizes the Department and school board to provide technical assistance to improve a chartered public school’s application or to speed the approval process and to grant charter status to applicants, but does not require it. Accordingly, the Department states in order to provide the additional state support mandated by the proposed legislation, it would require the addition of one full time employee with a labor grade of 18. The Department states the costs associated with a labor grade 18, step one employee would be $49,640 per fiscal year ($33,540 salary plus $16,100 benefits). For those applications approved at the local level by the school board, the Department estimates the additional local support mandated by the proposed legislation would increase local expenditures by $18,527 per fiscal year. The Department’s estimate of the increase in local expenditures is based on a percentage of the State Average Cost Per Pupil (80% of $13,159 or 10,527) and a portion of the average salary of a New Hampshire Assistant Superintendent (10% of $80,000 or $8,000).