Researcher: MGS Page 1 4/26/22
OLR Bill Analysis
sSB 229
AN ACT CONCERNING THE PROCESS BY WHICH A CHARTER IS
GRANTED AND FUNDING IS PROVIDED FOR A NEW CHARTER
SCHOOL.
SUMMARY
Under current law, the State Board of Education (SBE) may grant
“initial certificates of approval” for charters for local and state charter
schools. However, the new school’s initial certificate only becomes
effective under the law as a full “charter” if the legislature appropriates
funds to the State Department of Education for its operations. The
school receives its charter as of July 1 in the fiscal year for which the
funds are appropriated.
As of July 1, 2022, the bill allows SBE to grant full charters rather than
initial certificates of approval. Additionally, it creates the “charter
school approval grant account” within the General Fund to give initial
funding to state and local charter schools that have been granted a new
charter in the fiscal year immediately following the one in which the
charter was granted instead of waiting for the legislature to appropriate
the funds.
Additionally, the bill prohibits SBE from approving more than two
new state charter schools per fiscal year beginning in FY 23.
It also makes several conforming changes and removes obsolete
language in current law regarding SBE’s approval of applications for
new state charter schools before July 1, 2015.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2022
§ 2 — CHARTER SCHOOL APPROVAL GRANT ACCOUNT
Under the bill, the charter school approval grant account must be a
separate, nonlapsing account within the General Fund. It must contain 2022SB-00229-R000647-BA.DOCX
Researcher: MGS Page 2 4/26/22
any funds that the law requires to be deposited into it, which under the
bill includes any unexpended state funds appropriated for local and
state charter schools’ per pupil operating grants.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Education Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute Change of Reference - APP
Yea 25 Nay 14 (03/25/2022)
Appropriations Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 32 Nay 16 (04/07/2022)