The provisions of this section are enacted to promote the public health, safety, and welfare by establishing procedures under which the governing authorities of community schools established under this chapter will be held accountable for their compliance with the terms of the contracts they enter into with their school's sponsors and the law relating to the school's operation. Suspension of the operation of a school imposed under this section is intended to encourage the governing authority's compliance with the terms of the school's contract and the law and is not intended to be an alteration of the terms of that contract.

(A) If a sponsor of a community school established under this chapter suspends the operation of that school pursuant to procedures set forth in this section, the governing authority shall not operate that school while the suspension is in effect. Any such suspension shall remain in effect until the sponsor notifies the governing authority that it is no longer in effect. The contract of a school of which operation is suspended under this section also may be subject to termination or nonrenewal under section 3314.07 of the Revised Code.

(B) If at any time conditions at the school do not comply with a health and safety standard established by law for school buildings, the sponsor shall immediately suspend the operation of the school pursuant to procedures set forth in division (D) of this section. If the sponsor fails to take action to suspend the operation of a school to which this division applies, the department of education may take such action.

(C)

(1) For any of the reasons prescribed in division (B)(1)(a) to (d) of section 3314.07 of the Revised Code, the sponsor of a community school established under this chapter may suspend the operation of the school only if it first issues to the governing authority notice of the sponsor's intent to suspend the operation of the contract. Such notice shall explain the reasons for the sponsor's intent to suspend operation of the contract and shall provide the school's governing authority with five business days to submit to the sponsor a proposal to remedy the conditions cited as reasons for the suspension.

(2) The sponsor shall promptly review any proposed remedy timely submitted by the governing authority and either approve or disapprove the remedy. If the sponsor disapproves the remedy proposed by the governing authority, if the governing authority fails to submit a proposed remedy in the manner prescribed by the sponsor, or if the governing authority fails to implement the remedy as approved by the sponsor, the sponsor may suspend operation of the school pursuant to procedures set forth in division (D) of this section.

(D)

(1) If division (B) of this section applies or if the sponsor of a community school established under this chapter decides to suspend the operation of a school as permitted in division (C)(2) of this section, the sponsor shall promptly send written notice to the governing authority stating that the operation of the school is immediately suspended, and explaining the specific reasons for the suspension. The notice shall state that the governing authority has five business days to submit a proposed remedy to the conditions cited as reasons for the suspension or face potential contract termination.

(2) Upon receipt of the notice of suspension prescribed under division (D)(1) of this section, the governing authority shall immediately notify the employees of the school and the parents of the students enrolled in the school of the suspension and the reasons therefore, and shall cease all school operations on the next business day.

(E)

(1) Beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, if the sponsor of a community school suspends the operation of that school pursuant to procedures set forth in this section, the school's contract with the sponsor under section 3314.03 of the Revised Code shall become void, if the governing authority of the school fails to provide a proposal to remedy the conditions cited by the sponsor as reasons for the suspension, to the satisfaction of the sponsor, by the thirtieth day of September of the school year immediately following the school year in which the operation of school was suspended.

(2) If, prior to the effective date of this amendment, the sponsor of a community school has suspended the operation of the school, the contract with the sponsor under section 3314.03 of the Revised Code shall become void if the governing authority of the school fails to provide by September 30, 2014, a proposal to remedy the conditions cited by the sponsor as reasons for the suspension, to the satisfaction of the sponsor.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. 25, HB 59, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2013.

Effective Date: 04-08-2003 .