115C-75.5. Definitions.

The following definitions apply in this Article:

(1) Innovative school. - A qualifying school selected by the State Board of Education under the supervision of the North Carolina Innovative School District.

(2) Reserved.

(3) Innovative school operator or IS operator. - An entity selected by the State Board of Education upon the recommendation of the ISD Superintendent to operate an innovative school. Except as otherwise provided in this Article, the Department of Public Instruction may not be selected as an IS operator.

(4) ISD Superintendent. - The superintendent of the ISD appointed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction in accordance with G.S. 115C-75.6.

(4a) North Carolina Innovative School District or ISD. - The statewide school unit established pursuant to this Article.

(5) Qualifying school. - A low-performing school, as defined in G.S. 115C-105.37, that meets one of the following criteria:

a. The school earned an overall school performance score in the lowest five percent (5%) of all schools in the prior school year that meet all of the following requirements:

1. The school includes all or part of grades kindergarten through fifth.

2. The school did not exceed growth in at least one of the prior three school years and did not meet growth in at least one of the prior three school years.

3. One of the models established in G.S. 115C-105.37B for continually low-performing schools had not been adopted for that school for the immediately prior school year.

b. The school received a school performance score in the lowest ten percent (10%) of all schools that include all or part of grades kindergarten through fifth in the prior school year and has been designated by the local board of education for consideration by the State Board of Education as an innovative school.