BILL NUMBER: SB 537	CHAPTERED  10/13/07

	CHAPTER  650
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  OCTOBER 13, 2007
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  OCTOBER 13, 2007
	PASSED THE SENATE  SEPTEMBER 7, 2007
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  SEPTEMBER 5, 2007
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 21, 2007
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 4, 2007

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Simitian

                        FEBRUARY 22, 2007

   An act to amend Section 47613 of the Education Code, relating to
charter schools.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 537, Simitian. Charter schools: report.
   The Charter Schools Act of 1992 authorizes a chartering agency to
charge up to 1% of a charter school's revenue for the actual costs of
supervisorial oversight of the charter school. A chartering agency
is authorized to charge up to 3% of a charter school's revenue for
actual costs of supervisorial oversight if the charter school is able
to obtain substantially rent-free facilities from the chartering
agency.
   This bill would require the California Research Bureau of the
California State Library to prepare and submit to the Legislature on
or before January 8, 2009, a report on the key elements and actual
costs of charter school oversight. In preparing its report, the
bureau would be required to consult with an advisory panel to ensure
technical accuracy.
   The bill would make additional, technical, nonsubstantive changes
including replacing "chartering agency" with "chartering authority."



THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 47613 of the Education Code is amended to read:

   47613.  (a) Except as set forth in subdivision (b), a chartering
authority may charge for the actual costs of supervisorial oversight
of a charter school not to exceed 1 percent of the revenue of the
charter school.
   (b) A chartering authority may charge for the actual costs of
supervisorial oversight of a charter school not to exceed 3 percent
of the revenue of the charter school if the charter school is able to
obtain substantially rent free facilities from the chartering
authority.
   (c) A local agency that is given the responsibility for
supervisorial oversight of a charter school, pursuant to paragraph
(1) of subdivision (k) of Section 47605, may charge for the actual
costs of supervisorial oversight, and administrative costs necessary
to secure charter school funding. A charter school that is charged
for costs under this subdivision may not be charged pursuant to
subdivision (a) or (b).
   (d) This section does not prevent the charter school from
separately purchasing administrative or other services from the
chartering authority or any other source.
   (e) For purposes of this section, a chartering authority means a
school district, county board of education, or the state board, that
granted the charter to the charter school.
   (f) For purposes of this section, "revenue of the charter school"
means the general purpose entitlement and categorical block grant, as
defined in subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 47632.
   (g) (1) The California Research Bureau of the California State
Library shall prepare and submit to the Legislature on or before
January 8, 2009, a report on the key elements and actual costs of
charter school oversight. For purposes of the report, the bureau
shall define fiscal and academic oversight and shall include any
financial relationship between a charter school and its chartering
authority that has the effect of furthering the operations of the
charter school and that may provide opportunities to oversee the
charter school. The report, at a minimum, shall address all of the
following issues:
   (A) The range of annual activities that entities providing
supervisorial oversight of charter schools are expected to perform.
   (B) Staff time spent on reviewing charter petitions measured by
the size of school districts and the number of charter petitions
reviewed.
   (C) Staff time spent on oversight responsibilities measured by the
size of school districts and the number of charter schools.
   (D) Best practices for charter school oversight measured by
efficiency and effectiveness. A cost analysis of those best practices
after being measured by efficiency and effectiveness.
   (E) Comparison of school district costs and revenues attributable
to charter school oversight.
   (F) Administrative services provided to a charter school by a
chartering authority, such as human resources, that may be useful in
the oversight of the charter school and chartering authority revenues
attributable to those services.
   (G) Length of time required to review a single charter petition.
   (H) Recommendations for structuring charter school oversight and
accountability in California, including an assessment of whether or
not the associated costs specified in subdivisions (a) and (b) and
subparagraph (F) are adequate to support appropriate supervisorial
oversight.
   (2) In preparing its report, the California Research Bureau shall
consult with an advisory panel to ensure technical accuracy.