2016 Tennessee Code
Title 49 - Education
Chapter 13 - Tennessee Public Charter Schools Act of 2002
§ 49-13-104. Chapter definitions.

As used in this chapter:

(1) "Academic focus" means a distinctive, thematic program such as math, science, arts, general academics, or an instructional program such as Montessori or Paideia;

(2) "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 minimum, shall include teaching and classroom instruction methods, materials and curriculum that will be used to provide students with knowledge, proficiency and skills needed to reach the goals of the school;

(3) "Charter agreement" means a performance-based agreement between the sponsor of a public charter school and the chartering authority, the terms of which are approved by the chartering authority for an initial period of ten (10) years;

(4) "Charter management organization" or "CMO" means a nonprofit entity that operates multiple charter schools at least one (1) of which is in Tennessee;

(5) "Chartering authority" means:

(A) The local board of education or the achievement school district as defined in § 49-1-614 that approves, renews or decides not to revoke a public charter school application or agreement;

(B) The state board of education, if the state board approves a charter school:

(i) Under § 49-13-141 when an LEA is the sponsor of a charter school; or

(ii) Upon appeal from a denial of approval of a charter school application by an LEA that contains at least one (1) priority school on the current or last preceding priority school list;

(6) "Foreign" means a country or jurisdiction outside of any state or territory of the United States;

(7) "Governing body" means the organized group of persons who will operate a public charter school or schools by deciding matters, including, but not limited to, budgeting, curriculum and other operating procedures for the public charter school and by overseeing management and administration of a public charter school;

(8) "Licensed teacher" means a person over the age of eighteen (18) who meets the qualifications of chapter 5, part 1 of this title and has received a license to teach in the public school system in compliance with the rules and regulations of the state board of education;

(9) "Local education agency" or "LEA" has the same definition as used in § 49-3-302;

(10) "Public charter school" means a public school in this state that is established and operating under the terms of a charter agreement and in accordance with this chapter;

(11) "Sponsor" means any individual, group, or other organization filing an application in support of the establishment of a public charter school; provided, however, that a sponsor cannot be a for-profit entity, a private elementary or secondary school, a postsecondary institution not accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, a religious or church school or promote the agenda of any religious denomination or religiously affiliated entity; and

(12) "Underutilized or vacant property" means an entire property or portion thereof, with or without improvements, which is not used or is used irregularly or intermittently by the LEA for instructional or program purposes. "Underutilized or vacant property" does not include real property on which no building or permanent structure has been erected.