Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Charter School Leasing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee OKs bill to remove state construction department barrier to charter-school lease payments
Summary
The House Education Committee voted Feb. 12 to pass Senate File 131, which removes a state-construction determination that could block charter-school lease payments.
The House Education Committee voted Feb. 12 to pass Senate File 131, a bill that removes a statutory step requiring the state construction department to find a lack of adequate district facilities before state lease payments for charter-school facilities can be approved.
Senator Driscoll, sponsor of the bill, said the current statutory requirement created unintended consequences for charter schools seeking state lease payments. “Once that happens, then they're triggered and they're in a catch 22, then they don't qualify for the lease nor can they have a facility,” Driscoll said, describing situations in which district-owned buildings are identified as “available and adequate” but are not offered to charter schools.
Dale McComley, director of the State Construction Department, described operational challenges under the current law and scenarios that produced conflicts among multiple charter schools seeking the same available facility. McComley said department determinations that a district facility is “available and adequate” could prevent state lease funding even when a charter school declines to move into an offered facility, creating a funding and facility-access problem.
Several charter-school leaders testified in support. Diane Galloway, headmaster of Cheyenne Classical Academy, said lease payments would let her school consolidate and avoid moves between repurposed or inadequate buildings. Janine Bayski of the Wyoming Charter School Authorizing Board urged stability and warned against repeatedly shifting students between facilities if availability determinations change.
Representative Singh moved the bill out of committee; it passed by roll call with nine ayes and no recorded no votes. Committee members and agency witnesses said some of the broader charter-school policy issues may still warrant interim study and recalibration, but the change was presented as necessary to preserve access to lease payments for charter operators.
