2011 Senate Bill 620

Authorize “parent trigger” charter school conversion

Introduced in the Senate

Sept. 7, 2011

Introduced by Sen. David Robertson (R-26)

To establish that if 51 percent of the parents or 51 percent of the teachers in a public school sign a petition, the school can be converted into a charter school, essentially subject to the same expanded chartering procedures and policies proposed by Senate Bill 618.

Referred to the Committee on Education

Oct. 13, 2011

Reported without amendment

With the recommendation that the substitute (S-4) be adopted and that the bill then pass.

June 5, 2012

Substitute offered

The substitute passed by voice vote

June 6, 2012

Amendment offered by Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood (D-8)

To also allow a converted school to be returned to the regular school district ("de-charterized") if 60 percent of parents or 51 percent plus 60 percent of teachers petitioned for this.

The amendment failed 17 to 20 (details)

Amendment offered by Sen. John Pappageorge (R-13)

To exclude from the bill's "parent trigger" provision a failing school in which at least 10 percent of are not fluent English speakers.

The amendment failed by voice vote

Passed in the Senate 20 to 18 (details)

To require a public school that is in the lowest-achieving 5 percent of schools statewide to be essentially converted into a charter school if 60 percent of the parents sign a petition requesting this, or 51 percent of the parents plus 60 percent of the teachers. Employees in the resulting "conversion school" would not be subject to the district's union contract or included in the state-run school pension system.

Motion to reconsider by Sen. Arlan Meekhof (R-30)

The vote by which the following bill was passed, reportedly due to some confusion on the first attempt (Sen. Green switched from 'no' to 'yes' and Sen. Schuitmaker from 'yes' to 'no').

The motion passed by voice vote

Received

Passed in the Senate 20 to 18 (details)

To require a public school that is in the lowest-acheiving 5 percent of schools statewide to be essentially converted into a charter school if 60 percent of the parents sign a petition requesting this, or 51 percent of the parents plus 60 percent of the teachers. Employees in the resulting "conversion school" would not be subject to the district's union contract or included in the state-run school pension system.

Received in the House

June 7, 2012

Referred to the Committee on Education

Dec. 5, 2012

Reported without amendment

With the recommendation that the substitute (H-3) be adopted and that the bill then pass.