Effective 28 Aug 2016

160.403. Sponsoring a charter school, annual application and approval, contents of application, approval requirements. — 1. The department of elementary and secondary education shall establish an annual application and approval process for all entities eligible to sponsor charters as set forth in section 160.400 which are not sponsoring a charter school as of August 28, 2012, except that the Missouri charter public school commission shall not be required to undergo the application and approval process. No later than November 1, 2012, the department shall make available information and guidelines for all eligible sponsors concerning the opportunity to apply for sponsoring authority under this section.

2. The application process for sponsorship shall require each interested eligible sponsor, except for the Missouri charter public school commission, to submit an application by February first that includes the following:

(1) Written notification of intent to serve as a charter school sponsor in accordance with sections 160.400 to 160.425 and section 167.349;

(2) Evidence of the applicant sponsor's budget and personnel capacity;

(3) An outline of the request for proposal that the applicant sponsor would, if approved as a charter sponsor, issue to solicit charter school applicants consistent with sections 160.400 to 160.425 and section 167.349;

(4) The performance contract that the applicant sponsor would, if approved as a charter sponsor, use to evaluate the charter schools it sponsors; and

(5) The applicant sponsor's renewal, revocation, and nonrenewal processes consistent with section 160.405.

3. By April first of each year, the department shall decide whether to grant or deny a sponsoring authority to a sponsor applicant. This decision shall be made based on the applicant sponsor's compliance with sections 160.400 to 160.425 and section 167.349 and properly promulgated rules of the department.

4. Within thirty days of the department's decision, the department shall execute a renewable sponsoring contract with each entity it has approved as a sponsor. The term of each authorizing contract shall be six years and renewable.

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(L. 2012 S.B. 576, A.L. 2016 S.B. 638)