Parents and school administrators statewide will be watching the progress of a bill that could make it easier for more Charleston County schools to seek independence from the district.

The proposal, approved by the state Legislature last week, would make it illegal for the district to charge schools rent if they switch to charter status. That would render moot district warnings to James Island Charter High and Orange Grove Elementary and clear a hurdle for other schools considering the change.

But the bill might not make it past Gov. Mark Sanford, who likely will veto it, a spokesman said Monday.

The bill will make waves across the state, even though it's written specifically for Charleston County, said David Church, president of the S.C. Association for Public Charter Schools. He said he plans to urge legislators to pass a statewide version.

No district has actually imposed exorbitant rent, he said. James Island Charter High is one of two converted charter schools statewide. The other, an elementary school in Rock Hill, converted via a school district initiative.

"Right now, it's just a threat, but for principals, parents and faculty considering a conversion, that threat looms large," Church said. "Everyone is watching Charleston County."

James Island Charter High now rents its buildings for $1 a year, but that lease, negotiated under the previous superintendent, expires in 2007. Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson reminded charter school board members of that in February, resurrecting fears of a substantial rent hike.

"I think this (bill) says the district can no longer make innuendos and threats," said Nancy Gregory, principal of James Island Charter High, in its second year as a charter school.

Orange Grove Elementary in West Ashley hopes to become the state's third converted charter school in 2006-07. Principal Larry DiCenzo said district officials are dangling the rent issue in an effort to thwart the process.

Charter schools are public schools governed by a board of parents, educators and local residents. District officials have no control over a charter school, but charter schools receive money from the district based on its countywide average spending per child. DiCenzo says he thinks his school, now funded at less than the county average, would end up with more than $1 million extra that his board could use to hire more teachers.

"That's awesome," DiCenzo said about the bill's passage. "I'm flabbergasted. ... It makes the whole process much cleaner, the way it should be."

He said he won't pay even $1 rent. "The parents own this building. The district shouldn't be double-dipping by trying to charge rent."

County school board Chairwoman Nancy Cook said the additional money to Orange Grove would take money away from struggling schools that need it.

"I think there's more appropriate legislation to pass," she said. "How do you justify that? It further creates a gap in equity."

Parents of Orange Grove Elementary students will decide this week whether the school will continue its path toward conversion. State law requires faculty and parents approve the idea. The application, due to the state May 2, must include the results of officials votes.

The faculty approved it 66-2 last week. Parents can cast their ballots through Friday.

The bill's fate likely won't be decided before then. Sanford, a Republican, advocates the expansion of charter schools. But he dislikes legislation that applies to a single area of the state.

"It's local legislation, which is essentially the state telling local government what to do," his spokesman, Will Folks, said.

Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell has said he would try to override a veto if that occurred.

"We shouldn't even have to do this bill, quite frankly," said the Charleston Republican. "How can you be against a bill that says, 'You must treat them like anybody else and can't punish a school by imposing them a rent'?"

The bill, given final reading Thursday, amends the 1967 act that created Charleston County School District. It not only forbids charging rent to conversion charters, it also prevents the district from excluding charters in any way.

It specifically forces the district to accept charter school teachers of the year into the county contest, and give charter students equal access to the district's Laura Brown fund, designed to help pay for student travel expenses.

County school board member Hillery Douglas accused the legislators of trying to micromanage the school district.

"What are these guys doing, trying to harass us?" he asked. "If charters are going to be charters, that means they want to be independent. So why don't they be independent and stop dipping into things they want to participate in and out of things they don't want to?"

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