An application to form a charter school must include all information prescribed by the Department by regulation and:

1. A summary of the plan for the proposed charter school.

2. A clear written description of the mission of the charter school and the goals for the charter school. A charter school must have as its stated purpose at least one of the following goals:

(a) Improving the academic achievement of pupils;

(b) Encouraging the use of effective and innovative methods of teaching;

(c) Providing an accurate measurement of the educational achievement of pupils;

(d) Establishing accountability and transparency of public schools;

(e) Providing a method for public schools to measure achievement based upon the performance of the schools; or

(f) Creating new professional opportunities for teachers.

3. A clear description of the indicators, measures and metrics for the categories of academics, finances and organization that the charter school proposes to use, the external assessments that will be used to assess performance in those categories and the objectives that the committee to form a charter school plans to achieve in those categories, which must be expressed in terms of the objectives, measures and metrics. The objectives and the indicators, measures and metrics used by the charter school must be consistent with the performance framework adopted by the sponsor pursuant to NRS 388A.270.

4. A resume and background information for each person who serves on the board of the charter management organization or the committee to form a charter school, as applicable, which must include the name, telephone number, electronic mail address, background, qualifications, any past or current affiliation with any charter school in this State or any other state, any potential conflicts of interest and any other information required by the sponsor.

5. The proposed location of, or the geographic area to be served by, the charter school and evidence of a need and community support for the charter school in that area.

6. The minimum, planned and maximum projected enrollment of pupils in each grade in the charter school for each year that the charter school would operate under the proposed charter contract.

7. The procedure for applying for enrollment in the proposed charter school, which must include, without limitation, the proposed dates for accepting applications for enrollment in each year of operation under the proposed charter contract and a statement of whether the charter school will enroll pupils who are in a particular category of at-risk pupils before enrolling other children who are eligible to attend the charter school pursuant to NRS 388A.456 and the method for determining eligibility for enrollment in each such category of at-risk pupils served by the charter school.

8. The academic program that the charter school proposes to use, a description of how the academic program complies with the requirements of NRS 388A.366, the proposed academic calendar for the first year of operation and a sample daily schedule for a pupil in each grade served by the charter school.

9. A description of the proposed instructional design of the charter school and the type of learning environment the charter school will provide, including, without limitation, whether the charter school will provide a program of distance education, the planned class size and structure, the proposed curriculum for the charter school and the teaching methods that will be used at the charter school.

10. The manner in which the charter school plans to identify and serve the needs of pupils with disabilities, pupils who are English learners, pupils who are academically behind their peers and gifted pupils.

11. A description of any co-curricular or extracurricular activities that the charter school plans to offer and the manner in which these programs will be funded.

12. Any uniform or dress code policy that the charter school plans to use.

13. Plans and timelines for recruiting and enrolling students, including procedures for any lottery for admission that the charter school plans to conduct.

14. The rules of behavior and punishments that the charter school plans to adopt pursuant to NRS 388A.495, including, without limitation, any unique discipline policies for pupils enrolled in a program of special education.

15. A chart that clearly presents the proposed organizational structure of the charter school and a clear description of the roles and responsibilities of the governing body, administrators and any other persons included on the chart and a table summarizing the decision-making responsibilities of the staff and governing body of the charter school and, if applicable, the charter management organization that operates the charter school. The table must also identify the person responsible for each activity conducted by the charter school, including, without limitation, the person responsible for establishing curriculum and culture, providing professional development to employees of the charter school and making determinations concerning the staff of the charter school.

16. The names of any external organizations that will play a role in operating the charter school and the role each such organization will play.

17. The manner in which the governing body of the charter school will be chosen.

18. A staffing chart for the first year in which the charter school plans to operate and a projected staffing plan for the term of the charter contract.

19. Plans for recruiting administrators, teachers and other staff, providing professional development to such staff.

20. Proposed bylaws for the governing body, a description of the manner in which the charter school will be governed, including, without limitation, any governance training that will be provided to the governing body, and a code of ethics for members and employees of the governing body. The code of ethics must be prepared with guidance from the Nevada Commission on Ethics and must not conflict with any policy adopted by the sponsor.

21. Explanations of any partnerships or contracts central to the operations or mission of the charter school.

22. A statement of whether the charter school will provide for the transportation of pupils to and from the charter school. If the charter school will provide transportation, the application must include the proposed plan for the transportation of pupils. If the charter school will not provide transportation, the application must include a statement that the charter school will work with the parents and guardians of pupils enrolled in the charter school to develop a plan for transportation to ensure that pupils have access to transportation to and from the charter school.

23. The procedure for the evaluation of teachers of the charter school, if different from the procedure prescribed in NRS 391.680 and 391.725. If the procedure is different from the procedure prescribed in NRS 391.680 and 391.725, the procedure for the evaluation of teachers of the charter school must provide the same level of protection and otherwise comply with the standards for evaluation set forth in NRS 391.680 and 391.725.

24. A statement of the charter school’s plans for food service and other significant operational services, including a statement of whether the charter school will provide food service or participate in the National School Lunch Program, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1751 et seq. If the charter school will not provide food service or participate in the National School Lunch Program, the application must include an explanation of the manner in which the charter school will ensure that the lack of such food service or participation does not prevent pupils from attending the charter school.

25. Opportunities and expectations for involving the parents of pupils enrolled in the charter school in instruction at the charter school and the operation of the charter school, including, without limitation, the manner in which the charter school will solicit input concerning the governance of the charter school from such parents.

26. A detailed plan for starting operation of the charter school that identifies necessary tasks, the persons responsible for performing them and the dates by which such tasks will be accomplished.

27. A description of the financial plan and policies to be used by the charter school.

28. A description of the insurance coverage the charter school will obtain.

29. Budgets for starting operation at the charter school, the first year of operation of the charter school and the first 5 years of operation of the charter school, with any assumptions inherent in the budgets clearly stated.

30. Evidence of any money pledged or contributed to the budget of the charter school.

31. A statement of the facilities that will be used to operate the charter school and a plan for operating such facilities, including, without limitation, any backup plan to be used if the charter school cannot be operated out of the planned facilities.

32. If the charter school operates a vocational school, a description of the career and technical education program that will be used by the charter school.

33. If the charter school will provide a program of distance education, a description of the system of course credits that the charter school will use and the manner in which the charter school will:

(a) Monitor and verify the participation in and completion of courses by pupils;

(b) Require pupils to participate in assessments and submit coursework;

(c) Conduct parent-teacher conferences; and

(d) Administer any test, examination or assessment required by state or federal law in a proctored setting.

34. If the charter school will provide a program where a student may earn college credit for courses taken in high school, a draft memorandum of understanding between the charter school and the college or university through which the credits will be earned and a term sheet, which must set forth:

(a) The proposed duration of the relationship between the charter school and the college or university and the conditions for renewal and termination of the relationship;

(b) The roles and responsibilities of the governing body of the charter school, the employees of the charter school and the college or university;

(c) The scope of the services and resources that will be provided by the college or university;

(d) The manner and amount that the college or university will be compensated for providing such services and resources, including, without limitation, any tuition and fees that pupils at the charter school will pay to the college or university;

(e) The manner in which the college or university will ensure that the charter school effectively monitors pupil enrollment and attendance and the acquisition of college credits; and

(f) Any employees of the college or university who will serve on the governing body of the charter school.

35. If the applicant currently operates a charter school in another state, evidence of the performance of such charter schools and the capacity of the applicant to operate the proposed charter school.

36. If the applicant proposes to contract with an educational management organization or any other person to provide educational or management services:

(a) Evidence of the performance of the educational management organization or other person when providing such services to a population of pupils similar to the population that will be served by the proposed charter school;

(b) A term sheet that sets forth:

(1) The proposed duration of the proposed contract between the governing body of the charter school and the educational management organization;

(2) A description of the responsibilities of the governing body of the charter school, employees of the charter school and the educational management organization or other person;

(3) All fees that will be paid to the educational management organization or other person;

(4) The manner in which the governing body of the charter school will oversee the services provided by the educational management organization or other person and enforce the terms of the contract;

(5) A disclosure of the investments made by the educational management organization or other person in the proposed charter school; and

(6) The conditions for renewal and termination of the contract; and

(c) A disclosure of any conflicts of interest concerning the applicant and the educational management organization or other person, including, without limitation, any past or current employment, business or familial relationship between any prospective employee of the charter school and a member of the committee to form a charter school or the board of directors of the charter management organization, as applicable.

37. Any additional information that the sponsor determines is necessary to evaluate the ability of the proposed charter school to serve pupils in the school district in which the proposed charter school will be located.

(Added to NRS by 1997, 1844; A 1999, 3292; 2001, 3125; 2007, 2568; 2009, 257; 2011, 2279, 2359, 3044; 2013, 1663, 2911; 2015, 3265; 2017, 3386) — (Substituted in revision for part of NRS 386.520)