A. There is hereby created the Statewide Charter School Board. Beginning July 1, 2024, the Board shall have the sole authority to sponsor statewide virtual charter schools in this state and may sponsor charter schools in this state. The Board shall be composed of nine (9) voting members as follows: 1. Three members appointed by the Governor;2. Two members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate;3. Two members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;4. The Superintendent of Public Instruction or his or her designee; and5. The State Auditor and Inspector or his or her designee.B. Initial appointments shall be made by October 31, 2023. The President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each appoint one member for one (1) year and one member for two (2) years. The Governor shall appoint one member for one (1) year and two members for two (2) years. Members shall serve until their successors are duly appointed for a term of three (3) years. Appointments shall be made by and take effect on July 31 of the year in which the appointment is made. Annually by December 30 the Board shall elect from its membership a chair and vice chair.C. A member may be removed from the Board by the appointing authority for cause which shall include but not be limited to: 1. Being found guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction of a felony or any offense involving moral turpitude;2. Being found guilty of malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance in relation to Board duties;3. Being found mentally incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction; or4. Failing to attend three successive meetings of the Board without just cause, as determined by the Board.D. Vacancies shall be filled by the appointing authority.E. No member of the Senate or House of Representatives may be appointed to the Board while serving as a member of the Legislature or for two (2) full years following the expiration of the term of office.F. Members of the Statewide Charter School Board shall not receive compensation but shall be reimbursed for necessary travel expenses pursuant to the provisions of the State Travel Reimbursement Act.G. The Statewide Charter School Board shall meet at the call of the chair. The first meeting of the Board shall be held no later than sixty (60) days after the effective date of this act.H. Five members of the Board shall constitute a quorum, and an affirmative vote of at least five members shall be required for the Board to take any final action.I. Beginning July 1, 2024, statewide virtual charter schools shall be sponsored only by the Statewide Charter School Board created pursuant to this section. Effective July 1, 2024, the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board shall be abolished and the Statewide Charter School Board shall succeed to any contractual rights and responsibilities and settlement agreements incurred by the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board in a virtual charter school sponsorship contract executed prior to July 1, 2024.1. All powers, duties, responsibilities, policies, personnel, property, equipment, supplies, records, assets, funds, current and future liabilities, encumbrances, obligations, and indebtedness of the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board or associated with a virtual charter school sponsorship contract entered into by the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board prior to July 1, 2024, shall be transferred to the Statewide Charter School Board. No items shall be expended or used for any purpose other than the performance of duties and responsibilities as directed and required in this act. Appropriate conveyances and other documents shall be executed to effectuate the transfer of property associated with a sponsorship contract. The Statewide Charter School Board may contract for additional legal and administrative services as necessary to effectuate the transfers provided in this subsection.2. The Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services shall coordinate the transfer of funds, allotments, purchase orders, and outstanding financial obligations and encumbrances relating to the regulation of virtual charter schools as transferred pursuant to the provisions of this act.3. Upon succession of sponsorship contracts, the Statewide Charter School Board shall assume sponsorship of the virtual charter schools for the remainder of the term of the contracts. Prior to the end of the current term of the contract, the Statewide Charter School Board shall allow a virtual charter school to apply for renewal of the sponsorship contract in accordance with the renewal procedures established pursuant to Section 3-137 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes.4. Effective July 1, 2024, all administrative rules promulgated by the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board relating to the implementation and enforcement of the Oklahoma Charter Schools Act shall be enforceable by the Statewide Charter School Board. The rules shall continue in force and effect and the Statewide Charter School Board shall have authority to amend, repeal, recodify, or make additions to the rules pursuant to the Administrative Procedures Act.J. Effective July 1, 2024, the Statewide Charter School Board shall succeed to any contractual rights and responsibilities and settlement agreements incurred by the State Board of Education in a charter school sponsorship contract executed prior to July 1, 2024. All property, equipment, supplies, records, assets, funds, current and future liabilities, encumbrances, obligations, and indebtedness associated with a charter school sponsorship contract entered into by the State Board of Education prior to July 1, 2024, shall be transferred to the Statewide Charter School Board. Appropriate conveyances and other documents shall be executed to effectuate the transfer of property associated with a sponsorship contract. Upon succession of sponsorship contracts, the Statewide Charter School Board shall assume sponsorship of the charter schools for the remainder of the term of the contracts. Prior to the end of the current term of the contract, the Statewide Charter School Board shall allow a charter school to apply for renewal of the sponsorship contract in accordance with the renewal procedures established pursuant to Section 3-137 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes.K. Beginning July 1, 2024, at the end of the current term of a charter school sponsorship contract with a school district, an accredited comprehensive or regional institution that is a member of The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education, a community college, or a federally recognized Indian tribe, a charter school may apply for contract renewal with the Statewide Charter School Board for sponsorship.Okla. Stat. tit. 70, § 3-132.1
Added by Laws 2023, c. 323,s. 1, eff. 9/1/2023.