This from
The Courier-Journal: Scaled-back bill is long shot in House
A scaled-down version of a controversial bill to allow charter
schools in Kentucky is returning to the General Assembly this year, but
supporters and opponents say it has little chance of winning approval in
the House.
House Bill 76 would authorize
a five-year pilot program for up to 75 of the schools that would
receive public funding based on student enrollment, but wouldn’t have to
adhere to many of the regulations governing traditional public schools.
Rep.
Brad Montell, a Shelbyville Republican who has sponsored similar bills
the past four years, said he is softening last year’s measure, which
did not establish a cap on the number of authorized charters and died in
the House Education Committee. Still, Montell said he is not optimistic
that the bill will pass.
“I
don’t see that a lot has changed in the mood of the House when it comes
to charter schools,” he said. “What we want to do is just continue to
keep this issue out there.”
Kentucky is among about eight states that do not allow charter schools.
HB
76 would create a Kentucky Public Charter School Commission, allowing
it, or local school boards, to authorize charters beginning in the
2014-15 academic year.
Montell
said the bill limits the number of new charters to 15 per year and
requires half of all charters to be located within a three-mile radius
of schools where at least 50 percent of the students qualify for free or
reduced lunch. It would also mandate that charter schools meet state
performance standards or face closure.
Last
year’s charter school bill received a hearing in the House Education
Committee. But House Education Chairman Carl Rollins said committee
members overwhelmingly opposed the measure at the time and Montell and
others requested he not call for a vote.
“I don’t think my committee is going to change very drastically,” Rollins, D-Midway, said Wednesday...
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