§ 115C-238.51A.  Approval process.

(a) Joint Advisory Committee. - The State Board of Education and the applicable governing Board of the local board of trustees shall appoint a joint advisory committee to review the applications and to recommend approval for those applications that meet the requirements of this Part and achieve purposes set out in G.S. 115C-238.50. The recommendation shall indicate whether additional funds were requested in the application.

(a1) (See editor's note for applicability) Limitation on Approvals. - The State Board may only conditionally approve up to three applications for cooperative innovative high schools that request additional funds under subsection (c) of this section to open in a school year. If an application requesting additional funds is not approved due to this limitation, a revised application may be submitted under subsection (b) of this section. The State Board may prioritize conditional approval of applications for cooperative innovative high schools located in local school administrative units that do not already operate a school pursuant to this Part.

(b) No Additional Funds. - For applications which have not requested additional funds, the State Board of Education and the applicable governing Board may approve cooperative innovative high schools. In granting approval, consideration shall be given to the proposed budget and demonstration of sources of sustainable funding for the operation of the cooperative innovative high school. Approvals shall be made by June 30 of each year. No additional State funds, position allotments, earning of budget full-time equivalent students, or payments of tuition shall be provided to cooperative innovative high schools approved under this subsection.

(c) Additional Funds. - For applications which have requested additional funds, the State Board of Education and the applicable governing Board may approve cooperative innovative high schools contingent upon appropriation of the additional funds by the General Assembly. Contingent approval shall be made by April 1 of each year. The contingent approval shall expire if no appropriation is made by the General Assembly for the additional funds within one calendar year. No cooperative innovative high school shall open prior to the appropriation by the General Assembly of the full amount of the additional funds as requested in the application for that school under G.S. 115C-238.51 for the upcoming fiscal year or fiscal biennium, as appropriate. If no appropriation is made by the General Assembly, a revised application may be submitted under subsection (b) of this section. (2012-142, s. 7.11(c); 2020-64, s. 7(a).)