(1) Authorizers are responsible for:

(a) Holding the charter school board of each authorized charter school accountable for: Ensuring that students in the charter school have opportunities for academic success; and exercising effective educational, operational, and financial oversight of the charter school;

(b) Soliciting and evaluating charter applications;

(c) Approving charter applications that meet identified educational needs and promote a diversity of educational choices;

(d) Denying charter applications that fail to meet statutory requirements, requirements of the authorizer, or both;

(e) Negotiating and executing charter contracts with each authorized charter school;

(f) Monitoring, in accordance with charter contract terms, the performance and legal compliance of charter schools including, without limitation, education and academic performance goals and student achievement;

(g) Determining whether each charter contract merits renewal, nonrenewal, or revocation; and

(h) Ensuring that charter school boards comply with the annual training requirements in RCW 28A.710.030(6).

(2) An authorizer may delegate its responsibilities under this section to employees or contractors.

(3) All authorizers must develop and follow chartering policies and practices that are consistent with the principles and standards for quality charter authorizing developed by the national association of charter school authorizers in at least the following areas:

(a) Organizational capacity and infrastructure;

(b) Soliciting and evaluating charter applications;

(c) Performance contracting;

(d) Ongoing charter school oversight and evaluation; and

(e) Charter renewal decision making.

(4) Each authorizer must submit an annual report to the state board of education, according to a timeline, content, and format specified by the board that includes:

(a) The authorizer's strategic vision for chartering and progress toward achieving that vision;

(b) The academic and financial performance of all operating charter schools under its jurisdiction, including the progress of the charter schools based on the authorizer's performance framework;

(c) The status of the authorizer's charter school portfolio, identifying all charter schools in each of the following categories: (i) Approved but not yet open; (ii) operating; (iii) renewed; (iv) transferred; (v) revoked; (vi) not renewed; (vii) voluntarily closed; or (viii) never opened;

(d) The authorizer's operating costs and expenses detailed in annual audited financial statements that conform with generally accepted accounting principles; and

(e) The services purchased from the authorizer by the charter schools under its jurisdiction under RCW 28A.710.110, including an itemized accounting of the actual costs of these services.

(5) Neither an authorizer, individuals who comprise the membership of an authorizer in their official capacity, nor the employees of an authorizer are liable for acts or omissions of a charter school they authorize.

(6) No employee, trustee, agent, or representative of an authorizer may simultaneously serve as an employee, trustee, agent, representative, vendor, or contractor of a charter school under the jurisdiction of that authorizer.

Findings—Intent—2023 c 356: See note following RCW 28A.710.030.