2020 Arkansas Code
Title 6 - Education
Subtitle 2 - Elementary and Secondary Education Generally
Chapter 23 - Arkansas Quality Charter Schools Act of 2013
Subchapter 1 - General Provisions
§ 6-23-103. Definitions

As used in this chapter:

1. (1) “Adult education charter school” means a charter school for individuals at least nineteen (19) years of age that offers a high school diploma program and an industry certification program simultaneously to students;

2. (2) “Application” means the proposal for obtaining conversion public charter school status or open-enrollment public charter school status;

3. (3) “Authorizer” means an entity that authorizes a charter, which may be either the:

   1. (A) Division of Elementary and Secondary Education; or

   2. (B) State Board of Education acting under § 6-23-703;

4. (4) “Charter” means a performance-based contract for an initial five-year period between the authorizer 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;

5. (5) “Conversion public charter school” means a public school that has converted to operating under the terms of a charter approved by the local school district board of directors and the authorizer;

6. (6) “Eligible entity” means:

   1. (A) A public institution of higher education;

   2. (B) A private nonsectarian institution of higher education;

   3. (C) A governmental entity; or

   4. (D) An organization that:

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

      2. (ii) Has applied for tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3);

7. (7) “Founding member” means any individual who is either:

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

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

8. (8) “Local school board” means a board of directors exercising the control and management of a public school district;

9. (9)

   1. (A) “Open-enrollment public charter school” means a public school that:

      1. (i) Is operating under the terms of a charter granted by the authorizer on the application of an eligible entity;

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

      3. (iii) Is a local educational agency under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, 20 U.S.C. § 6301 et seq., as it existed on April 10, 2009.

   2. (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;

10. (10) “Parent” means any parent, legal guardian, or other person having custody or charge of a school-age child;

11. (11) “Public charter school” means a conversion public charter school or an open-enrollment public charter school; and

12. (12) “Public school” means a school that is part of a public school district under the control and management of a local school district board of directors.