Sec. 12.110. APPLICATION. (a) The commissioner shall adopt:

(1) an application form and a procedure that must be used to apply for a charter for an open-enrollment charter school; and

(2) criteria to use in selecting a program for which to grant a charter.

(b) The application form must provide for including the information required under Section 12.111 to be contained in a charter.

(c) As part of the application procedure, the commissioner may require a petition supporting a charter for a school signed by a specified number of parents or guardians of school-age children residing in the area in which a school is proposed or may hold a public hearing to determine parental support for the school.

(d) The commissioner shall approve or deny an application based on:

(1) documented evidence collected through the application review process;

(2) merit; and

(3) other criteria as adopted by the commissioner, which must include:

(A) criteria relating to the capability of the applicant to carry out the responsibilities provided by the charter and the likelihood that the applicant will operate a school of high quality;

(B) criteria relating to improving student performance and encouraging innovative programs; and

(C) a statement from any school district whose enrollment is likely to be affected by the open-enrollment charter school, including information relating to any financial difficulty that a loss in enrollment may have on the district.

(e) The commissioner shall give priority to applications that propose an open-enrollment charter school campus to be located in the attendance zone of a school district campus assigned an unacceptable performance rating under Section 39.054 for the two preceding school years.

Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 1, eff. May 30, 1995.

Amended by:

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1140 (S.B. 2), Sec. 18, eff. September 1, 2013.