3314.05 Specification of use and acquisition of facilities. - Ohio Statutes

3314.05 Specification of use and acquisition of facilities.

(A) The contract between the community school and the sponsor shall specify the facilities to be used for the community school and the method of acquisition. Except as provided in division (B)(3) of this section, no community school shall be established in more than one school district under the same contract.

(B) Division (B) of this section shall not apply to internet- or computer-based community schools.

(1) A community school may be located in multiple facilities under the same contract only if the limitations on availability of space prohibit serving all the grade levels specified in the contract in a single facility or division (B)(2) or (3) of this section applies to the school. The school shall not offer the same grade level classrooms in more than one facility.

(2) A community school may be located in multiple facilities under the same contract and, notwithstanding division (B)(1) of this section, may assign students in the same grade level to multiple facilities, as long as all of the following apply:

(a) The governing authority of the community school filed a copy of its contract with the school’s sponsor under section 3314.03 of the Revised Code with the superintendent of public instruction on or before May 15, 2008.

(b) The school was not open for operation prior to July 1, 2008.

(c) The governing authority has entered into and maintains a contract with an operator of the type described in division (A)(2) of section 3314.014 of the Revised Code.

(d) The contract with that operator qualified the school to be established pursuant to division (A) of section 3314.016 of the Revised Code.

(e) The school’s rating under section 3302.03 of the Revised Code does not fall below “in need of continuous improvement” for two or more consecutive years.

(3) A new start-up community school may be established in two school districts under the same contract if all of the following apply:

(a) At least one of the school districts in which the school is established is a challenged school district;

(b) The school operates not more than one facility in each school district and, in accordance with division (B)(1) of this section, the school does not offer the same grade level classrooms in both facilities; and

(c) Transportation between the two facilities does not require more than thirty minutes of direct travel time as measured by school bus. In the case of a community school to which division (B)(3) of this section applies, if only one of the school districts in which the school is established is a challenged school district, that district shall be considered the school’s primary location and the district in which the school is located for the purposes of division (A)(19) of section 3314.03 and divisions (C) and (H) of section 3314.06 of the Revised Code and for all other purposes of this chapter. If both of the school districts in which the school is established are challenged school districts, the school’s governing authority shall designate one of those districts to be considered the school’s primary location and the district in which the school is located for the purposes of those divisions and all other purposes of this chapter and shall notify the department of education of that designation.

(4) Any facility used for a community school shall meet all health and safety standards established by law for school buildings.

(C) In the case where a community school is proposed to be located in a facility owned by a school district or educational service center, the facility may not be used for such community school unless the district or service center board owning the facility enters into an agreement for the community school to utilize the facility. Use of the facility may be under any terms and conditions agreed to by the district or service center board and the school.

Effective Date: 04-08-2003; 2008 HB562 09-22-2008