Charter schools: renewal.

The Charter Schools Act of 1992 authorizes the governing board of a school district, a county board of education, or the State Board of Education to grant a petition to establish a charter school according to specified procedures. The act provides that a charter may be granted for a period not to exceed 5 years. The act authorizes each of those chartering authorities to grant one or more subsequent renewals of a charter that it authorized. The act requires that each renewal be for a period of 5 years. This bill would require a charter school to submit a renewal petition to the chartering authority no later than September 15 prior to the expiration of the charter, or by an earlier or later date if mutually agreed upon by the chartering authority and the charter school to accommodate local circumstances. The bill would require the governing board of a school district or a county board of education to approve or deny a renewal petition submitted by a charter school authorized by that board no later than December 15 prior to the expiration of the charter. The bill would require a charter school that elects to appeal the denial of its renewal application to submit the application to the county board or the state board, as applicable, within 30 days of the date of the denial.