Summary of SB08-130
Short Title: Innovation Schools Act Of 2008

Sponsors: Groff & .../Witwer & ...

Allows a public school or group of public schools to submit to its school district board of education ("local board") an innovation plan ("plan") to allow the school or group of schools to implement innovations within the school or group of schools, including but not limited to innovations in delivery of educational services, personnel administration and decision-making, and budgeting. Requires the local board to review each submitted plan and approve the school as an innovation school or the group of schools as an innovation school zone or reject the plan. Allows a local board to initiate creation of a plan in collaboration with one or more schools of the school district. Specifies the minimum contents of a plan. Encourages schools, groups of schools, and local boards to consider innovations in specified areas and to seek public and private funding to offset the costs of developing and implementing the plans. Following creation or approval of one or more plans, allows a local board to submit the plan to the commissioner of education ("commissioner") and the state board of education ("state board") and seek designation as a district of innovation. Directs the commissioner and state board to review and comment on the plan, and directs the state board to make the designation unless the plan would likely result in lower academic achievement or would be fiscally unfeasible. Requires the state board to provide a written explanation if it does not make the designation. Specifies statutes that are automatically waived for the innovation schools and innovation school zones in a district of innovation. Directs the state board to grant any additional statutory and regulatory waivers requested in the plan for the district of innovation. Specifies statutes that the state board may not waive. Requires the collective bargaining agreement for each district of innovation to allow for removal of an innovation school or a school within an innovation school zone from the terms of the agreement. Allows a district of innovation to hold elections in innovation schools and in each school within an innovation school zone to remove the school from the school district's collective bargaining agreement. Specifies that a district of innovation is not required to seek removal. If an employee of a school that is removed from the collective bargaining agreement requests a transfer, directs the district to make every reasonable effort to transfer the employee. Beginning March 2010, requires the commissioner and the state board annually to report to the governor and the education committees of the general assembly concerning implementation of the act and to post the report on the department of education's web site. Allows a local board of a district of innovation to delegate to an innovation school or a school in an innovation school zone certain duties and powers relating to personnel.


Status
01/31/2008 Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Education
01/31/2008 Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Education + Appropriations
02/21/2008 Senate Committee on Education Refer Amended to Appropriations
03/07/2008 Senate Committee on Appropriations Pass Amended to Senate Committee of the Whole
03/12/2008 Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments
03/13/2008 Senate Third Reading Laid Over to 03/17/2008
03/17/2008 Senate Third Reading Passed
03/17/2008 Introduced In House - Assigned to Education + Appropriations
04/03/2008 House Committee on Education Refer Unamended to Appropriations
04/18/2008 House Committee on Appropriations Pass Amended to House Committee of the Whole
04/22/2008 House Second Reading Laid Over
04/23/2008 House Second Reading Laid Over
04/24/2008 House Second Reading Laid Over
04/25/2008 House Second Reading Laid Over
04/28/2008 House Second Reading Laid Over
04/29/2008 House Second Reading Passed with Amendments
04/30/2008 House Third Reading Passed
05/02/2008 Senate Considered House Amendments - Result was to Laid Over Daily05/02/2008
05/05/2008 Senate Considered House Amendments - Result was to Laid Over Daily05/05/2008
05/05/2008 Senate Considered House Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass

Amendments

Fiscal Notes Status

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