1. If the proposed sponsor of a charter school approves an application to form a charter school, it shall, before June 11, 2013, grant a written charter to the governing body of the charter school or, on or after June 11, 2013, negotiate, develop and execute a charter contract with the governing body of the charter school. A charter contract must be executed not later than 60 days before the charter school commences operation. The charter contract must be in writing and incorporate, without limitation:

(a) The performance framework for the charter school;

(b) A description of the administrative relationship between the sponsor of the charter school and the governing body of the charter school, including, without limitation, the rights and duties of the sponsor and the governing body; and

(c) Any pre-opening conditions which the sponsor has determined are necessary for the charter school to satisfy before the commencement of operation to ensure that the charter school meets all building, health, safety, insurance and other legal requirements.

2. The charter contract must be signed by a member of the governing body of the charter school and:

(a) If the board of trustees of a school district is the sponsor of the charter school, the superintendent of schools of the school district;

(b) If the State Public Charter School Authority is the sponsor of the charter school, the Chair of the State Public Charter School Authority; or

(c) If a college or university within the Nevada System of Higher Education is the sponsor of the charter school, the president of the college or university.

3. Before the charter contract is executed, the sponsor of the charter school must approve the charter contract at a meeting of the sponsor held in accordance with chapter 241 of NRS.

4. The sponsor of the charter school shall, not later than 10 days after the execution of the charter contract, provide to the Department:

(a) Written notice of the charter contract and the date of execution; and

(b) A copy of the charter contract and any other documentation relevant to the charter contract.

5. If the board of trustees approves the application, the board of trustees shall be deemed the sponsor of the charter school.

6. If the State Public Charter School Authority approves the application:

(a) The State Public Charter School Authority shall be deemed the sponsor of the charter school.

(b) Neither the State of Nevada, the State Board, the State Public Charter School Authority nor the Department is an employer of the members of the governing body of the charter school or any of the employees of the charter school.

7. If a college or university within the Nevada System of Higher Education approves the application:

(a) That institution shall be deemed the sponsor of the charter school.

(b) Neither the State of Nevada, the State Board nor the Department is an employer of the members of the governing body of the charter school or any of the employees of the charter school.

8. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 388A.285, a written charter or a charter contract, as applicable, must be for a term of 6 years. The term of the charter contract begins on the first day of operation of the charter school after the charter contract has been executed. The sponsor of the charter school may require, or the governing body of the charter school may request that the sponsor authorize, the charter school to delay commencement of operation for 1 school year.

(Added to NRS by 1999, 3289; A 2001, 3129; 2005, 1662, 2400, 2538; 2007, 1256, 2571; 2009, 259; 2011, 2363, 3049; 2013, 2916; 2015, 3274; 2017, 3391; 2019, 1395) — (Substituted in revision for part of NRS 386.527)