Amendment ID: S2203-42-R1

Redraft Amendment 42

Eliminating requirement for redundant meetings and hearings

Messrs. Barrett and Rodrigues move to amend the bill , in section 63, by striking out the first paragraph of proposed subsection (h) of section 89 of chapter 71 of the General Laws and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-

Before filing an application for the establishment of a commonwealth charter school, the applicant shall: (i) meet with the district superintendent of each school district from which the charter school is expected to enroll students to review the proposed application, including how the proposed commonwealth charter school plans to complement the curriculum and instruction in the district; and (ii) hold not less than 1 public hearing with the local school committee of each school district from which the charter school is expected to enroll students to review the proposed application. Applicants that do not meet with the school district superintendent and hold a public hearing shall be disqualified from further consideration; provided, however, that if the district superintendent does not meet with the applicant at least 10 days prior to the application deadline, as established by the department, the applicant may proceed with submitting the application but shall include a written explanation, which shall also be sent to district superintendent of each school district from which the charter school is expected to enroll students, documenting all attempts to establish a meeting with the superintendent and reasons that the meeting did not take place; and, provided further, if a local school committee does not hold at least 1 public hearing with the applicant to discuss the proposed application at least 10 days prior to the application deadline, the applicant may proceed with submitting the application but shall include a written explanation, which shall also be sent to the school committee, documenting all attempts to establish a hearing and reasons that the hearing did not take place. A school district superintendent or a school committee may provide its own written explanation to the commissioner documenting all attempts to establish a meeting or hearing with the applicant and reasons that the meeting or hearing did not take place. The commissioner may disqualify the applicant from further consideration if the commissioner believes that the applicant acted in bad faith with respect to scheduling the meeting with the district superintendent or the public hearing with the local school committee.