HB 1124

Abstract

Yellow schools; authorization. Permits any school boardto enter into an operating contract with a not-for-profit entity (operatingentity) to designate a public elementary or secondary school in the localschool division in which at least 50 percent of enrolled students are eligiblefor free or reduced price lunch as a yellow school and requires each suchcontract to (i) require the school board to transfer its constitutionalauthority to supervise the yellow school to the operating entity, including itsauthority relating to personnel and curriculum, for an initial period of atleast two years, provided, however, that the yellow school shall be subject toall federal and state accountability requirements prescribed by law orregulation; (ii) require the operating entity to make available nutritionalsupport, after school academic and mentorship services, health care support bylicensed nurse practitioners or doctors, and dental care by dental hygienistsor dentists to each student enrolled in the yellow school; (iii) permit theoperating entity to seek reimbursement under Medicaid for all the servicesdescribed in clause (ii) that are provided to eligible students; (iv) requirethe operating entity to establish performance metrics for the yellow school andbiannually report to the school board on its compliance with such metrics; and(v) require the supervision of the yellow school to be transferred back to theschool board if the operating entity breaches the operating contract or failsto meet the performance metrics established in the operating contract. The billpermits any such operating contract to contain provisions for the use of localschool division services for a yellow school, including transportation, foodservices, and extracurricular activities. The bill provides that each operatingentity is entitled to matching state funds pursuant to the generalappropriation act in an amount equal to 25 percent of all funds that theoperating entity invests to provide the services described in clause (ii) inthe yellow school. The bill also provides that no operating entity thatreceives such matching state funds is eligible to receive a NeighborhoodAssistance Act Tax Credit pursuant to Article 13.2 (§ 58.1-439.18 et seq.) ofChapter 3 of Title 58.1.