A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT creating the legislative special commission on charter schools.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is hereby created the Legislative Special Commission on Charter Schools.
SECTION 2.  The Commission shall consist of five members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and five members of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate one representative as cochair, and the President Pro Tempore shall designate one senator as cochair.  Vacancies on the Commission shall be filled by the same appointing authority as made the initial appointment.
The appointments shall be made and the Commission shall begin its work prior to September 1, 2007.
SECTION 3.  The Commission shall study issues related to the performance of charter schools.  In the course of the study, the Commission shall consider:
(1)	The extent to which the system of charter schools operates, as required by G.S. 115C‑238.29A, to provide opportunities for teachers, parents, pupils, and community members to establish and maintain schools that operate independently of existing schools, as a method to accomplish all of the following:
a.	Improve student learning;
b.	Increase learning opportunities for all students, with special emphasis on expanded learning experiences for students who are identified as at risk of academic failure or academically gifted;
c.	Encourage the use of different and innovative teaching methods;
d.	Create new professional opportunities for teachers, including the opportunities to be responsible for the learning program at the school site;
e.	Provide parents and students with expanded choices in the types of educational opportunities that are available within the public school system; and
f.	Hold the charter schools accountable for meeting measurable student achievement results and provide the schools with a method to change from rule‑based to performance‑based accountability systems;
(2)	Data on individual charter schools regarding the academic performance of their students, the extent to which the schools meet their obligations under their charters, and the fiscal performance of the schools; and
(3)	The current cap on the number of charter schools and whether and to what extent it is appropriate in light of the performance of the charter school system and of individual charter schools.
The Commission may appoint advisory committees, as needed, to assist it in its work.
SECTION 4.  The Commission, while in the discharge of its official duties, may exercise all powers provided for under G.S. 120‑19 and G.S. 120‑19.1 through G.S. 120‑19.4. The Commission may meet at any time upon the joint call of the cochairs. The Commission may meet in the Legislative Building or the Legislative Office Building.
The Legislative Services Commission, through the Legislative Services Officer, shall assign professional staff to assist the Commission in its work. The House of Representatives' and the Senate's Supervisors of Clerks shall assign clerical staff to the Commission, and the expenses relating to the clerical employees shall be borne by the Commission. The Commission may contract for professional, clerical, or consultant services as provided by G.S. 120‑32.02. If the Commission hires a consultant, the consultant shall not be a State employee or a person currently under contract with the State to provide services.
All State departments and agencies and local governments and their subdivisions shall furnish the Commission with any information in their possession or available to them.
The Legislative Services Commission, through the Legislative Services Officer, shall assign professional staff to assist the Commission in its work. The House of Representatives' and the Senate's Supervisors of Clerks shall assign clerical staff to the Commission, and the expenses relating to the clerical employees shall be borne by the Commission.
SECTION 5.  The Commission shall report the results of its study and its recommendations to the 2008 Regular Session of the 2007 General Assembly upon its convening. The Commission shall terminate upon filing its final report or upon the convening of the 2008 Regular Session of the 2007 General Assembly, whichever is earlier.
SECTION 6.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the General Assembly the sum of twenty‑five thousand dollars ($25,000) for the 2007‑2008 fiscal year for the expenses of the Legislative Special Commission on Charter Schools.
SECTION 7.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2007.