Section 650.55  Biennial Reporting Requirements

a)         No later than September 30 of every odd-numbered year, each authorizer shall submit a report to the State Board of Education that shall respond at least to the reporting elements set forth in Section 27A-12 of the School Code.  The State Superintendent of Education shall develop and post at http://www.isbe.net/charter/Default.htm by January 30 of each odd-numbered year a standard form that shall be used for this purpose.

b)         The report shall include, but not be limited to, the information specified in this subsection (b), to be reported for each of the two school years immediately preceding submission of the report.

1)         The name, job title and contact information for each person who has principal responsibilities relative to the authorization of charter schools and, if applicable, the name of each contractor so engaged and a description of its authorizing responsibilities.

2)         Information relative to the authorizer's strategic vision for chartering, strategies for accomplishing that vision and an assessment of progress toward achieving that vision.

3)         Information relative to the chartering policies and practices developed and maintained by the authorizer, including but not limited to:

A)        Solicitation and evaluation of charter applications;

B)        Decision-making processes regarding new charter approvals;

C)        Negotiation processes to ensure execution of sound charter contracts with clear performance standards established for each approved charter school;

D)        Ongoing charter school oversight and evaluation;

E)        Charter renewal decision-making; and

F)         Charter school non-renewal or revocation decision-making.

4)         The status of the authorizer's charter school portfolio in each of the following categories:

A)        For any charter school that has been approved but is not opened by the date the authorizer submits its report to the State Board of Education:

i)          the targeted student population and the community the school hopes to serve;

ii)         the location or geographic area proposed for the school;

iii)        the projected enrollment;

iv)        the grades to be operated during each year in the term of the charter contract;

v)         the names and contact information for the governing board; and

vi)        the planned date for opening.

B)        The number of charter schools operating in each of the following categories:

i)          Charter schools operating more than one campus under a single charter agreement;

ii)         Virtual charter schools;

iii)        Charter schools devoted exclusively to students from low-performing or overcrowded schools; and

iv)        Charter schools devoted exclusively to re-enrolled high school dropouts and/or students at risk of dropping out.

C)        Information relative to each charter school whose charter was renewed, to include at least the date of renewal.

D)        Information relative to each charter school whose charter was transferred to another authorizer, to include at least the effective date of the transfer.

E)        Information relative to each charter school whose charter was not renewed or was revoked, to include at least the effective date of and reasons for the non-renewal or revocation.

F)         Information relative to each charter school that was voluntarily closed, to include at least the effective date of the closure.

G)        Information relative to each charter school that was approved but was never opened and has no planned date for opening.

5)         The total student enrollment by September 30 of the applicable school year for all charter schools authorized by the authorizer.

6)         Information relative to the academic and financial performance of each of the authorizer's operating charter schools, to include at least data related to the performance expectations for charter schools set forth in Section 2-3.64 of the School Code or the charter contract.

7)         The authorizer's operating costs and expenses associated with the performance of the powers and duties enumerated in Section 27A-7.10(a) of the School Code and any additional duties set forth in the terms of each charter contract.

8)         A description of the general categories of services provided by the authorizer to the charter schools in its portfolio pursuant to Section 27A-11(b) of the School Code, as set forth in the charter school contracts, and an itemized accounting of the revenue the authorizer received from its charter schools for a particular service and the authorizer's actual costs for services provided, when applicable.

(Source:  Added at 38 Ill. Reg. 21916, effective November 3, 2014)