Ariz. Admin. Code § R7-5-301 - Application for Charter Renewal; Early Renewal of Charter

A. The Board shall make available on its web site instructions regarding eligibility and submission requirements for renewal and early renewal of a charter.

B. A charter holder shall submit to the Board electronically through the Board's web-based interface the renewal application package identified in subsection (E) or the early renewal application package identified in subsection (L). The Board shall not accept a paper submission.

C. The Board shall provide the charter holder at least 72-hours' written notice of the date, time, and location of the Board meeting at which the Board will consider the charter holder's renewal or early renewal application package. The charter holder shall attend the Board meeting.

D. At least 18 months before a charter is scheduled to expire, the Board shall provide the charter holder with a renewal application that is customized based on the charter holder's performance history. The Board shall require a charter holder that does not meet the performance expectations specified in Article 4 to submit more information than a charter holder that does meet the performance expectations.

E. As required under A.R.S. § 15-183(I), a charter holder that intends to seek renewal of the charter shall submit to the Board a renewal application package at least 15 months before the charter is scheduled to expire.

F. The Board shall not consider a renewal application package that is not submitted by the date specified in subsection (E).

G. As part of the charter renewal process, Board staff shall conduct an academic-systems-review site visit, as described in R7-5-506, of the charter holder.

H. The Board shall notify a charter holder of the Board's decision to renew or deny renewal of the charter at least 12 months before the charter is scheduled to expire.

I. As specified under A.R.S. § 15-183(I), the Board may deny renewal of a charter if the Board determines the charter holder failed to meet or make sufficient progress toward the academic performance expectations or failed to meet the operational performance expectations specified in Article 4, meet the financial performance expectations specified in Article 4, complete the obligations of the charter, or comply with federal or state law or this Chapter. If the Board denies renewal of a charter, Board staff shall provide written notice to the charter holder that includes the information required under A.R.S. § 41-1092.03(A).

J. A charter holder is eligible to apply for early renewal of the charter if the charter holder:

1. Submits to the Board a letter of intent to apply for early renewal at least 24 months before the charter is scheduled to expire;

2. Has operated a school under the charter for at least five years;

3. Meets the performance expectations specified in Article 4; and

4. Had no compliance matters within the last three years that required action by the Board or other governmental entity.

K. Within 15 days after receiving a letter of intent to apply for early renewal under subsection (J)(1), Board staff shall provide written notice to the charter holder of whether the charter holder is eligible to apply for early renewal and, if eligible, shall provide the charter holder with the renewal application referenced in subsection (D).

L. A charter holder that receives notification under subsection (K) of eligibility to apply for early renewal shall submit to the Board the early renewal application package no later than one month after the charter holder receives notification under subsection (K).

M. A charter holder applying for early renewal shall continue to meet the eligibility requirements specified in subsection (J) until the Board considers the early renewal application package at the Board meeting referenced under subsection (C). The Board shall not consider an early renewal application package submitted by a charter holder that has a change in eligibility status.

N. Within three months after a charter holder timely submits an early renewal application package, Board staff shall conduct an academic-systems-review site visit, as described in R7-5-506, of the charter holder and shall place the charter holder's early renewal application package on an agenda for Board consideration.

O. As specified under A.R.S. § 15-183(I)(2), the Board may deny early renewal of a charter if the Board determines the charter holder failed to meet or make sufficient progress toward the academic performance expectations or failed to meet the operational performance expectations specified in Article 4, meet the financial performance expectations specified in Article 4, complete the obligations of the charter, or comply with federal or state law or this Chapter. If the Board denies early renewal of a charter, Board staff shall provide written notice to the charter holder that includes the information required under A.R.S. § 41-1092.03(A).

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R7-5-301

New Section made by final rulemaking at 12 A.A.R. 577, effective February 7, 2006 (Supp. 06-1). Amended by final rulemaking at 23 A.A.R. 693, effective 5/6/2017. Amended by final exempt rulemaking at 25 A.A.R. 1926, effective 7/8/2019. Amended by final exempt rulemaking at 26 A.A.R. 3245, effective 11/20/2020.