§ 49-13-101. Short Title
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Tennessee Public Charter Schools Act of 2002.”
§ 49-13-102. Purpose
The purpose of this chapter is to: Improve learning for all students and close the achievement gap between high and low students; Provide options for parents to meet educational needs of students; Encourage the use of different and innovative teaching methods, and provide greater decision making authority to schools and teachers in exchange for greater […]
§ 49-13-103. Application
This chapter applies only to schools formed and operated in accordance with this chapter.
§ 49-13-104. Chapter Definitions
As used in this chapter: “Academic focus” means a distinctive, thematic program such as math, science, arts, general academics, or an instructional program such as Montessori or Paideia; “Academic plan” means a platform that supports the academic focus of the charter school and will include instructional goals and methods for the school, which, at a […]
§ 49-13-105. Public Charter School Commission
There is established the Tennessee public charter school commission as an independent state entity for the purpose of serving as an appellate public charter school authorizer and the LEA for any public charter school it authorizes. Beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, the commission has the authority to authorize public charter schools on appeal of […]
§ 49-13-106. Creation or Conversion of Charter Schools
Public charter schools are part of the state program of public education. A charter shall not be granted to a for-profit corporation. A nonpublic school, as defined in § 49-6-3001, or other private, religious, or church school, shall not establish a public charter school pursuant to this chapter. A cyber-based public charter school shall not […]
§ 49-13-107. Application Process
Sixty (60) days before the application process begins pursuant to subsection (b), a prospective charter school sponsor shall submit a letter of intent to the department of education and the authorizer of its plan to submit an application to operate a charter school. On or before February 1 of the year preceding the year in […]
§ 49-13-108. Approval or Denial of Public Charter School Application by Public Charter School Authorizers
Public charter school authorizers have the authority to approve applications to establish public charter schools and to make decisions regarding the renewal and revocation of a charter agreement. This section only applies to applications for the creation of new public charter schools that are submitted to a local board of education. The local board of […]
§ 49-13-109. Parent Representative on Governing Body — Advisory School Council
The membership of a governing body shall include at least one (1) parent representative whose child is currently enrolled in a charter school operated by the governing body. The parent representative shall be appointed by the governing body within six (6) months of the school’s opening date. A charter management organization may satisfy this requirement […]
§ 49-13-110. Charter Agreement
An authorizer’s approval of a public charter school application must be in the form of a written charter agreement signed by the sponsor and the authorizer, which shall be binding upon the governing body of the public charter school. The charter agreement for a public charter school must be in writing and must contain all […]
§ 49-13-111. Compliance
A public charter school shall, at a minimum: Be operated by a not-for-profit organization that is exempt from federal taxation under § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3)); Operate as a public, nonsectarian, nonreligious public school, with control of instruction vested in the governing body of the public charter school under […]
§ 49-13-112. Allocation of State and Local Funds
A local board of education shall allocate to the charter school an amount equal to the per student state and local funds received by the LEA and all appropriate allocations under federal law or regulation, including, but not limited to, Title I and ESEA funds. The allocation shall be made in accordance with the policies […]
§ 49-13-113. Enrollment
Participation in a public charter school shall be based on parental choice or the choice of the legal guardian or custodian. A public charter school authorized by the commission is open to any student residing within the geographic boundaries of the LEA in which the public charter school is located. A public charter school authorized […]
§ 49-13-114. Transportation
If a public charter school elects to provide transportation for the public charter school’s students, then the transportation must be provided by the public charter school or by agreement with an LEA in accordance with chapter 6, part 21 of this title. If a public charter school elects to provide transportation other than through an […]
§ 49-13-115. [reserved.]
The department of education shall provide information to the public on how to form and operate a public charter school. This information must include a standard application format, which must include the information specified in § 49-13-107. The department of education shall monitor the status of charter school applications and shall maintain information on the […]
§ 49-13-116. Information on Charter Schools
49-13-138. [Repealed.]
§ 49-13-117. Leaves of Absence for Teachers
If a teacher employed by an LEA makes a written request for an extended leave of absence to teach at a public charter school, the LEA may grant the leave. Any extensions are at the discretion of the LEA. The leave shall be governed by chapter 5, part 7 of this title, including, but not […]
§ 49-13-118. Oversight by State Board of Education — Authorizer Fees — Refund of Unused Fees — Report. [Effective Until July 1, 2021.]
This section applies to public charter schools for which the state board of education is the authorizer. If the state board is the authorizer of a charter school, then the state board shall receive an annual authorizer fee of up to four percent (4%) of the charter school’s per student state and local funding as […]
§ 49-13-119. Group Insurance
Teachers, as defined in § 8-34-101, and other full-time permanent employees of a public charter school shall participate in the group insurance plans selected by the governing body of the public charter school. Public charter schools authorized by the achievement school district or the commission are entitled to participate in the state group insurance plans […]
§ 49-13-120. Reporting Requirements
The governing body of the public charter school shall make an annual progress report to the authorizer and to the commissioner of education. The report must contain the following information: The progress of the public charter school towards achieving the goals outlined in the school’s charter agreement; Financial records of the public charter school, including […]