District leaders told legislators they are preparing for state rule‑making that will implement Schools of Hope co‑location provisions and said the policy, as written, could create operational and fiscal challenges for host campuses.

Senator Laurie Berman and others questioned how co‑location would affect bell schedules, lunch facilities, PE and bus operations. "Things like the bell schedule, things like discipline if the students intermingle... there are a lot of logistical challenges," Burke said, adding district staff have compiled a list of specific operational concerns with shared campuses. He said the rule‑making period begins November 11 and that districts will be on a statutory clock to respond if charter operators request campus space.

Burke also warned about how capacity is calculated: he said state reviews often use FISH or building capacity reports without accounting for programs such as pre‑K, substantial ESE classrooms that hold fewer students but more adults, or specialty facilities that reduce available general‑education seats. The district has not yet received formal facility requests but is preparing objections where co‑location would materially impair services for enrolled students.

Why it matters: Co‑location could allow charter operators to occupy space with limited reimbursement to the host district, while the district remains responsible for transportation, food service, custodial and other shared costs. Board members and legislators asked whether districts could negotiate recoveries; Burke said prior legislation allowed some recovery in earlier iterations but that current implementation raises concerns that warrant legislative or administrative fixes.

Sources: Superintendent Michael Burke; Senator Laurie Berman; School Board members.