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Amend the bill by striking out all of section 1 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §6212  is enacted to read:
§ 6212. Innovative, autonomous public schools
A school administrative unit may establish and operate an innovative, autonomous public school. The school board may approve an instruction design, a school calendar, a staff selection process and a method for assessing professional development to be used in an innovative, autonomous public school that exceed or differ from, but do not conflict with, applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. The school board shall propose, receive and allocate funding for an innovative, autonomous public school as part of the budget process for that school administrative unit in accordance with this Title. A school board may request waivers as necessary to implement an instructional model and associated curriculum that meet the standards of this section for innovation and autonomy.
 
1.  Open enrollment.   Any resident student in a school administrative unit is eligible to request enrollment in an innovative, autonomous public school. Enrollment may not be limited to a target population of students. A school board shall establish a method for selecting students when requests for enrollment exceed capacity. A school board may establish a process for determining the maximum enrollment from each municipality in the school administrative unit.
 
2.  More accountability for student achievement.  An innovative, autonomous public school must demonstrate a system for accountability for student achievement that exceeds, but is not in conflict with, the State's accountability standards and the State's assessment system.’
 
SUMMARY
This amendment is the majority report of the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. It revises the language in the bill to clarify the oversight role of local school boards for innovative, autonomous public schools.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)