(1) Charter school The term
school">charter
school means a
school">public
school that
(A) in accordance with a specific State statute authorizing the granting of charters to schools, is exempt from significant State or local rules that inhibit the flexible operation and management of public schools, but not from any rules relating to the other requirements of this paragraph;
(B) is created by a developer as a
school">public
school, or is adapted by a developer from an existing
school">public
school, and is operated under public supervision and direction;
(C) operates in pursuit of a specific set of educational objectives determined by the schools developer and agreed to by the authorized public chartering agency;
(D) provides a program of elementary or secondary education, or both;
(E) is nonsectarian in its programs, admissions policies, employment practices, and all other operations, and is not affiliated with a sectarian
school or religious institution;
(F) does not charge tuition;
(G) complies with the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 [
42 U.S.C.
6101 et seq.], title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 [
42 U.S.C.
2000d et seq.], title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 [
20 U.S.C.
1681 et seq.], section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 [
29 U.S.C.
794], and part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [
20 U.S.C.
1411 et seq.];
(H) is a
school to which parents choose to send their children, and that admits students on the basis of a lottery, if more students apply for admission than can be accommodated;
(I) agrees to comply with the same Federal and State audit requirements as do other elementary schools and secondary schools in the State, unless such requirements are specifically waived for the purpose of this program;
(J) meets all applicable Federal, State, and local health and safety requirements;
(K) operates in accordance with State law; and
(L) has a written performance contract with the authorized public chartering agency in the State that includes a description of how
student performance will be measured in charter schools pursuant to State assessments that are required of other schools and pursuant to any other assessments mutually agreeable to the authorized public chartering agency and the
school">charter
school.
(2) Developer The term developer means an individual or group of individuals (including a public or private
nonprofit">
nonprofit organization), which may include teachers, administrators and other
school staff, parents, or other members of the local community in which a
school">charter
school project will be carried out.