SB 689 - This act creates the Missouri public charter school state board. The board shall consist of representatives of the general assembly, charter school boards and charter sponsors. The Lieutenant Governor shall serve ex officio as chair of the board and one member of the board of education shall serve ex officio as vice chair. The act sets forth the duties of the board including the following: compiling a manual of best practices for charter school operations and sponsorship; ongoing analysis of gaps in educational services in authorized areas and issuing requests for proposals to charter schools to address such gaps; granting charters; adopting rules to allow willing charter schools with missions of serving at-risk youth or theme-based charter schools to receive transfer students from other districts; reporting to the Governor and General Assembly on proposed statutory and regulatory changes to improve charter schools; and contracting with chartering entities to provide sponsorship oversight functions.
JIM ERTLE