Charter enrollment preference bill clears House committee

A bill that would allow charter schools to give enrollment preference to students who live within a two-mile radius of the school cleared its first hurdle Monday, making it out of the House Education Standing Committee.

Rep. Jim Ferrin R-Orem, the bill's sponsor, said in some cases charter schools open in a community, but due to a lottery process for enrollment, students near the school get ousted and people in the community are left out.

If the bill passes schools will have the option of allowing preference based on proximity.

Preference is now only allowed to the children of the founding members of the school.