S1723-119

What This Bill Does

The bill creates state policies for charter school facilities quality, affordability, and access to public buildings, plus technical assistance for charter school growth, provides modification of charter school funding allocation caps and minimums under ESEA Title IV-C, and creates new $100M/year competitive grant program for state charter school facilities aid, with priority for states with equitable facilities policies and charter school access to surplus public property. It relies on grants, appropriations, definition changes, and reporting requirements. The main policy areas are Education, Finance, and Housing.

Who Benefits and How

State entities administering charter school programs could gain revenue opportunities, Charter school operators seeking facilities could see lower costs, and Planned and operating charter schools could see lower costs.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Eligible entities receiving credit enhancement grants would take on compliance duties, Charter school authorizers would take on compliance duties, and Traditional public schools could lose revenue opportunities.

Key Provisions

• Creates state policies for charter school facilities quality, affordability, and access to public buildings, plus technical assistance for charter school growth.
• Provides modification of charter school funding allocation caps and minimums under ESEA Title IV-C.
• Creates new $100M/year competitive grant program for state charter school facilities aid, with priority for states with equitable facilities policies and charter school access to surplus public property.
• Requires annual reporting requirement for credit enhancement grant recipients, with 10-year reporting period and exclusion of new facilities aid subsection.
• Creates expansion of charter school grants to cover facility assistance, revolving loan fund establishment (up to 10% of funds), and building code compliance support.