PRINTER'S NO. 706
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
700
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY TURZAI, SAYLOR, TAYLOR, DOWLING, GABLER,
A. HARRIS, KAUFFMAN, LAWRENCE, McGINNIS, MILLARD, PICKETT,
RAPP, RYAN, SACCONE, STAATS, WARD AND WATSON,
FEBRUARY 28, 2017
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 28, 2017
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
act relating to the public school system, including certain
provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
laws relating thereto," in charter schools, providing for
charter school seats in school districts of the first class
and first class A.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
section to read:
Section 1717.1-A. Charter School Seats in School Districts
of the First Class and First Class A.--(a) Notwithstanding any
other provision of law and beginning with the 2017-2018 school
year, and continuing through the 2021-2022 school year, the
following shall apply:
(1) In a school district of the first class, the School
Reform Commission established under section 696 or any other
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governing body of the school district shall expand the number of
available charter school seats above the number authorized for
the immediately preceding school year, either by granting new
charter applications, by expanding the permitted enrollment at
existing charter schools or by a combination of both by a
minimum of three thousand (3,000) new charter school seats per
school year.
(2) In a school district of the first class A, the governing
body of the school district shall expand the number of available
charter school seats above the number authorized for the
immediately preceding school year, either by granting new
charter applications, by expanding the permitted enrollment at
existing charter schools or by a combination of both by a
minimum of five hundred (500) new charter school seats per
school year.
(b) If the number of new charter school seats established in
any school year in a school district of the first class or in a
school district of the first class A exceeds the number of new
charter school seats required to be established in that school
year under subsection (a), the additional new seats established
for that school year over the required number of new seats may
be applied toward the number of new charter school seats
required to be established in the subsequent school year.
(c) For each charter revoked or not renewed in a school
district of the first class or in a school district of the first
class A, the School Reform Commission or other governing body of
the school district shall establish an equivalent number of new
charter school seats in another charter school, either by
granting new charter applications, by expanding the permitted
enrollment in existing charter schools or by a combination of
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both. Any new charter school seats established under this
subsection shall not count toward the minimum number of new
charter school seats required under subsection (a).
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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