§ 6-23-103 - Definitions. - Arkansas Statutes

6-23-103. Definitions.

As used in this chapter:

(1) "Application" means the proposal for obtaining conversion public charter school status, open-enrollment public charter school status, or limited public charter school status;

(2) "Charter" means a performance-based contract for an initial five-year period between the State Board of Education and an approved applicant for public charter school status that exempts the public charter school from state and local rules, regulations, policies, and procedures specified in the contract and from the provisions of this title specified in the contract;

(3) "Conversion public charter school" means a public school that has converted to operating under the terms of a charter approved by the local school board and the state board;

(4) "Eligible entity" means:

(A) A public institution of higher education;

(B) A private nonsectarian institution of higher education;

(C) A governmental entity; or

(D) An organization that:

(i) Is nonsectarian in its program, admissions policies, employment practices, and operations; and

(ii) Has applied for tax exempt status under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;

(5) "Founding member" means any individual who is either:

(A) A member or an employee of the eligible entity applying for the initial charter for an open-enrollment public charter school; or

(B) A member of the initial governing nonadvisory board of the open-enrollment public charter school;

(6) "Limited public charter school" means a public school that has converted to operating under the terms of a limited public charter approved by the local school board and the state board;

(7) "Local school board" means a board of directors exercising the control and management of a public school district;

(8) (A) "Open-enrollment public charter school" means a public school that:

(i) Is operating under the terms of a charter granted by the state board on the application of an eligible entity;

(ii) May draw its students from any public school district in this state; and

(iii) Is a local educational agency under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, 20 U.S.C. 7801, as it existed on April 10, 2009,

(B) "Open-enrollment public charter school" also possesses the same meaning as given the term "charter school" in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, 20 U.S.C. 7221i, as it existed on April 10, 2009;

(9) "Parent" means any parent, legal guardian, or other person having custody or charge of a school-age child;

(10) "Public school" means a school that is part of a public school district under the control and management of a local school board; and

(11) "Public charter school" means a conversion public charter school, an open-enrollment public charter school, or a limited public charter school.