Charter schools bill sails out of committee

A bill that would remove the cap on the number of charter schools the State Charter School Board may authorize sailed Tuesday out of the Senate Education Standing Committee.

SB178 sponsor, Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, said his amended bill would mean charter schools applications would be considered based on their merit and need and not on an "arbitrary whim."

The bill would also remove the 60-day time limitation imposed on the state charter board for approving or denying a charter school application.

Stephenson also wants a chartering entity — be it the charter board or chartering districts — to have the power to remove a school director or finance officer or remove governing board members if a charter school fails to remedy "deficiencies."

While lawmakers and various public education agencies supported the bill, several took exception to an amendment that a school's charter no longer needs to include a policy or procedure regarding employee termination. The reasoning is because charter school employees are considered "at will" employees.