49-13-111 - Compliance.
49-13-111. Compliance.
(a) A public charter school shall:
(1) Operate as a public, nonsectarian, nonreligious public school, with control of instruction vested in the governing body of the school under the general supervision of the chartering authority and in compliance with the charter agreement and this chapter;
(2) Meet the same performance standards and requirements adopted by the state board of education for public schools;
(3) Receive state, federal, and local funds from the local board of education;
(4) Provide special education services for students as provided in chapter 10 of this title; and
(5) Administer state assessments as provided in chapter 1, part 6 of this title.
(b) A public charter school shall be subject to all federal and state laws and constitutional provisions prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, national origin, religion, ancestry or need for special education services. A public charter school may not violate or be used to subvert any state or federal court orders in place in the local school district.
(c) (1) A public charter school shall comply with all applicable health and safety standards, regulations and laws of the United States and this state.
(2) The governing body of a public charter school shall ensure that the public charter school provides parents and guardians with information about meningococcal disease and the effectiveness of vaccination against meningococcal disease at the beginning of every school year. This information shall include the causes, symptoms, and the means by which meningococcal disease is spread and the places where parents and guardians may obtain additional information and vaccinations for their children. Nothing in this subdivision (c)(2) shall be construed to require a public charter school or its governing body to provide or purchase vaccine against meningococcal disease.
(d) A public charter school shall be accountable to the chartering authority for the purposes of ensuring compliance with the charter agreement and the requirements of this chapter.
(e) All contracts for goods and services in excess of five thousand dollars ($5,000) shall be bid and must be approved by the governing body of each public charter school.
(f) A public charter school shall be governed and managed by a governing body in a manner agreed to by the sponsor and the chartering authority as provided in the charter agreement.
(g) With regard to conflicts of interest, the governing body of a public charter school shall be subject to the provisions of §§ 12-4-101 and 12-4-102.
(h) The meetings of the governing body of a public charter school shall be deemed public business and must be held in compliance with title 8, chapter 44, part 1.
(i) All teachers in a public charter school must have a current valid Tennessee teaching license or meet the minimum requirements for licensure as defined by the state board of education.
(j) A public charter school is subject to state audit procedures and audit requirements.
(k) A public charter school shall not charge tuition; provided, however, that tuition may be charged if the governing body of the charter school approves a transfer from another district to a public charter school in its district pursuant to the provisions of § 49-6-3003.
(l) A public charter school shall be operated on a July 1 to June 30 fiscal year and the governing body shall adopt and operate under an annual budget for the fiscal year. The budget shall be prepared in the same format as that required by the state department of education for LEAs.
(m) A public charter school shall maintain its accounts and records in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and in conformance with the uniform chart of accounts and accounting requirements prescribed by the comptroller of the treasury. The charter school shall prepare and publish an annual financial report that encompasses all funds. The annual financial report shall include the audited financial statements of the charter school.
(n) A public charter school shall require any member of the governing body, employee, officer or other authorized person who receives funds, has access to funds, or has authority to make expenditures from funds, to give a surety bond in the form prescribed by § 8-19-101. The cost of the surety bond shall be paid by the charter school and shall be in an amount determined by the governing body.
[Acts 2002, ch. 850, § 11; 2004, ch. 653, § 1; 2005, ch. 177, § 2.]