Chapter 810 Oregon Laws 2001

AN ACT

HB 3395

Relating to public charter schools; creating new provisions; amending ORS 332.016, 338.025, 338.115, 338.125 and 339.250; and declaring an emergency.

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

SECTION 1. ORS 332.016 is amended to read:

332.016. [No] (1) A person who is an employee of a school district [shall be eligible to] may not serve as a member of the district school board for the district by which the employee is employed.

(2) A person who is an employee of a public charter school may not serve as a member of the district school board of the district in which the public charter school that employs the person is located.

SECTION 2. Notwithstanding ORS 332.016, a district school board member who is a member on the effective date of this 2001 Act and who is not eligible to serve on the board because of the amendments to ORS 332.016 by section 1 of this 2001 Act may continue to serve on the board for the remainder of the member’s term of office.

SECTION 3. ORS 338.025 is amended to read:

338.025. (1) The State Board of Education may adopt any rules necessary for the implementation of this chapter. The rules shall follow the intent of this chapter.

(2) Upon application by a public charter school, the State Board of Education may grant a waiver of any provision of this chapter if the waiver promotes the development of programs by providers, enhances the equitable access by underserved families to the public education of their choice, extends the equitable access to public support by all students or permits high quality programs of unusual cost. The State Board of Education may not waive any appeal provision in this chapter or any provision under ORS 338.115 (1)(a) to [(n)] (o).

SECTION 4. ORS 338.115 is amended to read:

338.115. (1) Statutes and rules that apply to school district boards, school districts or other public schools shall not apply to public charter schools. However, the following laws shall apply to public charter schools:

(a) Federal law;

(b) ORS 192.410 to 192.505 (public records law);

(d) ORS 297.405 to 297.555 and 297.990 (Municipal Audit Law);

(e) ORS 181.539, 326.603, 326.607 and 342.232 (criminal records checks);

(f) ORS 337.150 (textbooks);

(g) ORS 339.141, 339.147 and 339.155 (tuition and fees);

(h) ORS 659.150 and 659.155 (discrimination);

(i) ORS 30.260 to 30.300 (tort claims);

(j) Health and safety statutes and rules;

(k) Any statute or rule that is listed in the charter;

(L) The statewide assessment system developed by the Department of Education under ORS 329.485 (1);

(m) ORS 329.045 (1) (academic content areas);

(n) Any statute or rule that establishes requirements for instructional time provided by a school during each day or during a year;

(o) ORS 339.250 (12) (prohibition on infliction of corporal punishment); and

[(o)] (p) This chapter.

(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, a charter may specify that statutes and rules that apply to school district boards, school districts and other public schools may apply to a public charter school.

(3) If a statute or rule applies to a public charter school, then the terms “school district” and “public school” shall include public charter school as those terms are used in that statute or rule.

(4) A public charter school shall not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution or section 5, Article I of the Oregon Constitution, or be religion based.

(5) A public charter school shall maintain an active enrollment of at least 25 students.

(6) A public charter school may sue or be sued as a separate legal entity.

(7) The sponsor, members of the governing board of the sponsor acting in their official capacity and employees of a sponsor acting in their official capacity are immune from civil liability with respect to all activities related to a public charter school within the scope of their duties or employment.

(8) A public charter school may enter into contracts and may lease facilities and services from a school district, education service district, state institution of higher education, other governmental unit or any person or legal entity.

(9) A public charter school may not levy taxes or issue bonds under which the public incurs liability.

(10) A public charter school may receive and accept gifts, grants and donations from any source for expenditure to carry out the lawful functions of the school.

(11) The school district in which the public charter school is located shall offer a high school diploma, certificate, Certificate of Initial Mastery or Certificate of Advanced Mastery to any public charter school student who meets the district’s and state’s standards for a high school diploma, certificate, Certificate of Initial Mastery or Certificate of Advanced Mastery.

(12) A high school diploma, certificate, Certificate of Initial Mastery or Certificate of Advanced Mastery issued by a public charter school shall grant to the holder the same rights and privileges as a high school diploma, certificate, Certificate of Initial Mastery or Certificate of Advanced Mastery issued by a nonchartered public school.

(13) Prior to beginning operation, the public charter school shall show proof of insurance to the sponsor as specified in the charter.

(14) A public charter school may receive services from an education service district in the same manner as a nonchartered public school in the school district in which the public charter school is located.

SECTION 5. Section 6 of this 2001 Act is added to and made a part of ORS chapter 338.

SECTION 6. For purposes of calculating the weighted average daily membership (ADMw) of a public charter school, it shall be assumed that the public charter school has the same percentage of children in poverty families, as calculated under ORS 327.013 (7)(a)(E)(i), as the school district in which the public charter school is located. Based on this percentage, an additional amount shall be added to the average daily membership (ADM) of the public charter school.

SECTION 7. ORS 339.250 is amended to read:

339.250. (1) Public school students shall comply with rules for the government of such schools, pursue the prescribed course of study, use the prescribed textbooks and submit to the teachers’ authority.

(2) Pursuant to the written policies of a district school board, an individual who is a teacher, administrator, school employee or school volunteer may use reasonable physical force upon a student when and to the extent the individual reasonably believes it necessary to maintain order in the school or classroom or at a school activity or event, whether or not it is held on school property. The district school board shall adopt written policies to implement this subsection and shall inform such individuals of the existence and content of these policies.

(3) The district school board may authorize the discipline, suspension or expulsion of any refractory student and may suspend or expel any student who assaults or menaces a school employee or another student. The age of a student and the past pattern of behavior of a student shall be considered prior to a suspension or expulsion of a student. As used in this subsection “menace” means by word or conduct the student intentionally attempts to place a school employee or another student in fear of imminent serious physical injury.

(4)(a) Willful disobedience, willful damage or injury to school property, use of threats, intimidation, harassment or coercion against any fellow student or school employee, open defiance of a teacher’s authority or use or display of profane or obscene language is sufficient cause for discipline, suspension or expulsion from school.

(b) District school boards shall develop policies on managing students who threaten violence or harm in public schools. The policies adopted by a school district shall include staff reporting methods and shall require an administrator to consider:

(A) Immediately removing from the classroom setting any student who has threatened to injure another person or to severely damage school property.

(B) Placing the student in a setting where the behavior will receive immediate attention, including, but not limited to, the office of the school principal, vice principal, assistant principal or counselor or a school psychologist licensed by the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission or the office of any licensed mental health professional.

(C) Requiring the student to be evaluated by a licensed mental health professional before allowing the student to return to the classroom setting.

(d) District school boards may enter into contracts with licensed mental health professionals to perform the evaluations required under paragraph (b) of this subsection.

(e) District school boards shall allocate any funds necessary for school districts to implement the policies adopted under paragraph (b) of this subsection.

(5) Expulsion of a student shall not extend beyond one calendar year and suspension shall not extend beyond 10 school days.

(6)(a) Notwithstanding subsection (5) of this section, a school district shall have a policy that requires the expulsion from school for a period of not less than one year of any student who is determined to have:

(A) Brought a weapon to a school, to school property under the jurisdiction of the district or to an activity under the jurisdiction of the school district;

(B) Possessed, concealed or used a weapon in a school or on school property or at an activity under the jurisdiction of the district; or

(C) Brought to or possessed, concealed or used a weapon at an interscholastic activity administered by a voluntary organization approved by the State Board of Education under ORS 339.430.

(b) The policy shall allow an exception for courses, programs and activities approved by the school district that are conducted on school property, including but not limited to hunter safety courses, Reserve Officer Training Corps programs, weapons-related sports or weapons-related vocational courses. In addition, the State Board of Education may adopt by rule additional exceptions to be included in school district policies.

(d) The policy shall require a referral to the appropriate law enforcement agency of any student who is expelled under this subsection.

(e) For purposes of this subsection, “weapon” includes a:

(A) “Firearm” as defined in 18 U.S.C. 921;

(B) “Dangerous weapon” as defined in ORS 161.015; or

(7) The Department of Education shall collect data on any expulsions required pursuant to subsection (6) of this section including:

(a) The name of each school;

(b) The number students expelled from each school; and

(8) Notwithstanding ORS 336.010, a school district may require a student to attend school during nonschool hours as an alternative to suspension.

(9) Unless a student is under expulsion for an offense that constitutes a violation of a school district policy adopted pursuant to subsection (6) of this section, a school district board shall consider and propose to the student prior to expulsion or leaving school, and document to the parent, legal guardian or person in parental relationship, alternative programs of instruction or instruction combined with counseling for the student that are appropriate and accessible to the student in the following circumstances:

(a) When a student is expelled pursuant to subsection (4) of this section;

(b) Following a second or subsequent occurrence within any three-year period of a severe disciplinary problem with a student;

(c) When it has been determined that a student’s attendance pattern is so erratic that the student is not benefiting from the educational program; or

(d) When a parent or legal guardian applies for a student’s exemption from compulsory attendance on a semiannual basis as provided in ORS 339.030 (2).

(10) A school district board may consider and propose to a student who is under expulsion or to a student prior to expulsion for an offense that constitutes a violation of a school district policy adopted pursuant to subsection (6) of this section, and document to the parent, legal guardian or person in parental relationship, alternative programs of instruction or instruction combined with counseling for the student that are appropriate and accessible to the student.

(11) Information on alternative programs provided under subsections (9) and (10) of this section shall be in writing. The information need not be given to the student and the parent, guardian or person in parental relationship more often than once every six months unless the information has changed because of the availability of new programs.

(12)(a) The authority to discipline a student does not authorize the infliction of corporal punishment. Every resolution, bylaw, rule, ordinance or other act of a district school board, a public charter school or [of] the Department of Education that permits or authorizes the infliction of corporal punishment upon a student is void and unenforceable.

(b) As used in this subsection, “corporal punishment” means the willful infliction of, or willfully causing the infliction of, physical pain on a student.

(A) The use of physical force authorized by ORS 161.205 for the reasons specified therein; or

(B) Physical pain or discomfort resulting from or caused by participation in athletic competition or other such recreational activity, voluntarily engaged in by a student.

SECTION 8. ORS 338.125 is amended to read:

338.125. (1) Student enrollment in a public charter school shall be voluntary. All students who reside within the school district where the public charter school is located are eligible for enrollment at a public charter school. If the number of applications from students who reside within the school district exceeds the capacity of a program, class, grade level or building, the public charter school shall select students through an equitable lottery selection process. However, after a public charter school has been in operation for one or more years, the public charter school may give priority for admission to students:

(a) Who were enrolled in the school in the prior year; or

(b) Who have siblings who are presently enrolled in the school and who were enrolled in the school in the prior year.

(2) If space is available a public charter school may admit students who do not reside in the school district in which the public charter school is located.

(3) A public charter school may not limit student admission based on ethnicity, national origin, race, religion, disability, gender, income level, proficiency in the English language or athletic ability, but may limit admission to students within a given age group or grade level.

(4) A public charter school may conduct fund-raising activities. However, a public charter school shall not require a student to participate in fund-raising activities as a condition of admission to the public charter school.

SECTION 9. This 2001 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2001 Act takes effect July 1, 2001.

Approved by the Governor July 19, 2001

Filed in the office of Secretary of State July 19, 2001

Effective date July 19, 2001

__________