HB 334 passes!

Good news! This week, both houses of the legislature passed the Conference Committee’s version of HB 334. HB 334 now heads to Governor McCrory’s desk to be signed into law.

As you know, currently, NC’s public charter schools lack direct representation to and from the State Board of Education. The final version of HB 334 accomplishes the following remedies:

• Creates a new position for a Charter School Advisory Board member who is appointed by the State Board of Education, and “who is a charter school advocate in North Carolina.”
• Expands the duties of the Chair of the Charter School Advisory Board, allowing he or she to “advocate for the recommendations of the Advisory Board at meetings of the State Board of Education.”
• Creates a new section (c) of NC’s charter school law (NCGS 115C-218) which establishes and defines the NC Office of Charter Schools.
• The Executive Director of the NC Office of Charter Schools will also be an appointee of the State Board of Education. The appointee will be selected by a committee chaired by the Lt. Governor, who is  currently Dan Forest, a demonstrated charter advocate in our state.
• The Executive Director of the NC Office of Charter Schools’ duties will include presenting recommendations at meetings of the State Board of Education.
• Adds an “Agency Cooperation” clause stating that “all State agencies and departments shall cooperate with the Office of Charter Schools.”

 

Join us in thanking the conferees who worked on this bill by adding your name, below!

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