(1) The Legislature finds and declares that the general purposes of the state’s charter schools are as follows:
(a) To improve student learning by creating high-quality schools with high standards for student performance;
(b) To close achievement gaps between high-performing and low-performing groups of public school students;
(c) To increase high-quality educational opportunities within the public education system for all students, especially those with a likelihood of academic failure;
(d) To create new professional opportunities for teachers, school administrators and other school personnel which allow them to have a direct voice in the operation of their schools;
(e) To encourage the use of different, high-quality models of teaching, governing, scheduling and other aspects of schooling which meet a variety of student needs;
(f) To allow public schools freedom and flexibility in exchange for exceptional levels of results driven accountability;
(g) To provide students, parents, community members and local entities with expanded opportunities for involvement in the public education system; and
(h) To encourage the replication of successful charter schools.
(2) All charter schools in the state established under this chapter are public schools and are part of the state’s public education system.
(3) No provision of this chapter may be interpreted to allow the conversion of private schools into charter schools.