A bill that would give charter schools their own governing body and free them from some education requirements cleared its first legislative hurdle Thursday.

"I know the (State Office of Education) is working very hard" for charter schools, said Susie Ashliman, Thomas Edison charter school governing board member. "But we need representation from people who truly understand . . . charters."

But school boards and superintendents oppose HB152.

"We are champions of charter schools in Granite," said Sarah Meier, president of the Granite Board of Education. "I think this bill is trying to fix a problem that is perceived and not real."

Charter schools offer parents a choice in public education and some flexibility in teaching but still follow the state core curriculum and testing laws. But relationships with districts have been adversarial in some areas.

An amended HB152, sponsored by Rep. Marda Dillree, R-Farmington, would create a seven-member, governor-appointed State Charter School Board as a sort of liaison to the state school board. The new board would have two business and three charter school representatives, plus two members nominated by the state school board.

The State Charter School Board would approve charters, but the State Board of Education still would have final say and appeal authority.

The bill also would exempt charter schools from certain rules for regular schools, including termination laws, teacher evaluation requirements, prohibitions on nepotism and rules they have a school library, among others.

That bothers state and local school boards, who said those requirements should apply to all public schools.

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