§ 115C-218.1.  Eligible applicants; contents of applications; submission of applications for approval.

(a) Any nonprofit corporation seeking to establish a charter school may apply to establish a charter school. If the applicant seeks to convert a public school to a charter school, the application shall include a statement signed by a majority of the teachers and instructional support personnel currently employed at the school indicating that they favor the conversion and evidence that a significant number of parents of children enrolled in the school favor conversion.

(b) The application shall contain at least the following information:

(1) A description of a program that implements one or more of the purposes in G.S. 115C-218.

(2) A description of student achievement goals for the school's educational program and the method of demonstrating that students have attained the skills and knowledge specified for those student achievement goals.

(3) The governance structure of the school including the names of the initial members of the board of directors of the nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation and the process to be followed by the school to ensure parental involvement. A teacher employed by the board of directors to teach in the charter school may serve as a nonvoting member of the board of directors for the charter school.

(4) The local school administrative unit in which the school will be located.

(5) Admission policies and procedures.

(6) A proposed budget for the school and evidence that the financial plan for the school is economically sound.

(7) Requirements and procedures for program and financial audits.

(8) A description of how the school will comply with G.S. 115C-218.20, 115C-218.25, 115C-218.30, 115C-218.40, 115C-218.45, 115C-218.50, 115C-218.55, 115C-218.60, 115C-218.65, 115C-218.70, 115C-218.75, 115C-218.80, 115C-218.85, and 115C-218.90.

(9) Types and amounts of insurance coverage, including bonding insurance for the principal officers of the school, to be obtained by the charter school.

(10) The term of the charter.

(11) The qualifications required for individuals employed by the school.

(12) The procedures by which students can be excluded from the charter school and returned to a public school. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, any local board may refuse to admit any student who is suspended or expelled from a charter school due to actions that would lead to suspension or expulsion from a public school under G.S. 115C-390.5 through G.S. 115C-390.11 until the period of suspension or expulsion has expired.

(13) The number of students to be served, which number shall be at least 80, and the minimum number of teachers to be employed at the school, which number shall be at least three. However, the charter school may serve fewer than 80 students or employ fewer than three teachers if the application contains a compelling reason, such as the school would serve a geographically remote and small student population.

(14) Information regarding the facilities to be used by the school and the manner in which administrative services of the school are to be provided.

(15) The process for conducting a weighted lottery that reflects the mission of the school if the school desires to use a weighted lottery.

(c) The State Board shall establish reasonable fees of no less than five hundred dollars ($500.00) and no more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) for initial and renewal charter applications, in accordance with Article 2A of Chapter 150B of the General Statutes. No application fee shall be refunded in the event the application is rejected or the charter is revoked. (1995 (Reg. Sess., 1996), c. 731, s. 2; 1997-430, s. 1; 2011-282, s. 8; 2013-355, s. 1(b); 2014-101, ss. 1, 7; 2015-248, ss. 2, 3(a); 2023-134, s. 7.26(c).)