Section 160.15911 - Kentucky Public Charter School Pilot Project - Authorizers - Approval of charter application - Collective may act as substitute authorizer - Annual report - Performance review - Contract renewal(1) The Kentucky Public Charter School Pilot Project is hereby established to study the impact of public charter schools within the common school system.(2) Authorizers for the pilot project shall include:(a) A school board of a county school district located in a county with a consolidated local government, which shall have authorizing jurisdiction within the territory of the district's boundaries; and(b) Notwithstanding KRS 160.1590, the board of regents of Northern Kentucky University, which shall have authorizing jurisdiction within any county containing four (4) or more local school districts. The board of regents shall only become a pilot project authorizer if the board adopts a resolution confirming the status by January 1, 2023. The board of regents shall send notice of the resolution to each local board within the jurisdiction, the Kentucky Board of Education, and the Legislative Research Commission. The board of regents may decline to be an authorizer by July 1, 2023, in the same manner.(3) By July 1, 2023, each pilot project authorizer shall solicit, review, and approve at least one (1) charter application for a public charter school within the authorizer's jurisdiction that serves as an urban academy. The charter contract shall be for a five (5) year term, but otherwise subject to KRS 160.1590 to 160.1599. The pilot authorizers shall submit a copy of the approved charter contracts to the Legislative Research Commission.(4)(a) If on July 1, 2023, the Northern Kentucky University board of regents is not a pilot project authorizer, then notwithstanding KRS 160.1590, a collective of metropolitan local school boards that is composed of two (2) members from each local board of a district located in a county that contains four (4) or more local school districts shall become a substitute pilot project authorizer. Each local board shall select its members to serve on the collective.(b) The collective shall have authorizing authority within the collective districts' boundaries. The collective shall adopt authorizer policies as if it were a single local board and may allocate authorizer fees as necessary to support authorizer functions. The collective may contract with other governmental or nonprofit organizations to assist with public charter school oversight.(c) By July 1, 2024, the collective shall solicit, review, and approve at least one (1) charter application for a public charter school within the authorizer's jurisdiction that serves as an urban academy. The charter contract shall be for a five (5) year term, but otherwise subject to KRS 160.1590 to 160.1599. The pilot authorizers shall submit a copy of the approved charter contracts to the Legislative Research Commission.(5) By July 1 of each year the charter contract is in effect, the pilot project authorizers shall submit an annual report to the Interim Joint Committee on Education and the Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue detailing the authorizer's oversight activities over the previous year. The report shall have content and be in a format approved by the Education Assessment and Accountability Review Subcommittee with the assistance of the Office of Education Accountability.(6) Starting in 2024 and until the initial charter contract ends, the Office of Education Accountability shall annually review the performance of the public charter schools authorized under this section and submit the report to the Interim Joint Committee on Education and the Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue. The Education Assessment and Accountability Review Subcommittee may provide guidance to the Office of Education Accountability on the content and format of the report.(7) Upon the end of the initial term of the charter contract, the pilot authorizers shall review the reports under subsection (5) of this section and determine if the contract shall be renewed in the same manner as any other charter contract under the provisions of KRS 160.1598. The decision shall be appealable under KRS 160.1595.Added by 2022 Ky. Acts ch. 213,§ 11, eff. 7/13/2022.