BILL NUMBER: AB 2543ENROLLED BILL TEXT PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 24, 2010 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 25, 2010 AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 16, 2010 AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 2, 2010 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 28, 2010 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Bonnie Lowenthal (Coauthor: Senator Price) FEBRUARY 19, 2010 An act to add Section 47607.1 to the Education Code, relating to charter schools. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2543, Bonnie Lowenthal. Charter schools: renewal. The Charter Schools Act of 1992 authorizes the governing board of a school district, a county board of education, or the State Board of Education to grant a petition to establish a charter school according to specified procedures. The act provides that a charter may be granted for a period not to exceed 5 years. The act authorizes each of those chartering authorities to grant one or more subsequent renewals of a charter that it authorized. The act requires that each renewal be for a period of 5 years. This bill would require a charter school to submit a renewal petition to the chartering authority no later than September 15 prior to the expiration of the charter, or by an earlier or later date if mutually agreed upon by the chartering authority and the charter school to accommodate local circumstances. The bill would require the governing board of a school district or a county board of education to approve or deny a renewal petition submitted by a charter school authorized by that board no later than December 15 prior to the expiration of the charter. The bill would require a charter school that elects to appeal the denial of its renewal application to submit the application to the county board or the state board, as applicable, within 30 days of the date of the denial. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 47607.1 is added to the Education Code, to read: 47607.1. (a) A charter school shall submit a renewal petition to the chartering authority no later than September 15 prior to the expiration of the charter, or by an earlier or later date if mutually agreed upon by the chartering authority and the charter school to accommodate local circumstances, including delays in the release of Academic Performance Index (API) scores. This subdivision does not preclude a chartering authority from establishing a charter renewal deadline prior to September 15. Existing timelines for the consideration of a charter renewal petition by a chartering authority pursuant to Sections 47605 and 47607 or any other provision of this part shall not be affected by this subdivision. (b) The governing board of a school district or a county board of education shall approve or deny a renewal petition submitted by a charter school authorized by that board no later than December 15 prior to the expiration of the charter. A charter school that elects to appeal the denial of its renewal application pursuant to Section 47607.5 shall submit its application to the county board or state board, as applicable, within 30 days of the date of the denial.