21-3-308. Hearing by local board; prohibited actions by local board; criteria; compliance with state standards; state board review; contractual authority.

(a) Not later than thirty (30) days after receiving an application for any charter school which has been determined to be complete pursuant to W.S. 21-3-307(b), the district board shall hold a public hearing on the application, at which time the board shall consider the level of community and parental support for the application if an application for a new charter school, or the level of teacher and parental support if an application for a converted charter school or charter school within a school. Following review of the application and the public hearing, if applicable, and in accordance with subsection (d) of this section, the district board shall either approve or deny the application within sixty (60) days of receipt. Approval under this article may be conditioned for purposes specified under subsection (c) of this section. In addition, the board may approve an application for the operation of a converted charter school only if it determines teacher and parental support for the conversion are established at the levels required by W.S. 21-3-306(b). Prior to approving an application for a charter school under this section, the board shall approve and adopt the content and terms of the contract as provided in W.S. 21-3-307.

(b) No district board of trustees or agent of the board shall require any employee of the school district to be employed in a charter school or any pupil enrolled in the school district to attend a charter school. No district board or its agent shall harass, threaten, discipline, discharge, retaliate or in any manner discriminate against any district employee involved directly or indirectly with an application to establish a charter school as authorized under this article.

(c) The district board shall require the applicant to provide information regarding the proposed operation and potential effects of the school, including but not limited to the facilities to be utilized by the school, the manner in which administrative services of the school are to be provided and a demonstration that the school is adequately insured for liability, including errors and omissions coverage, and that the school district is indemnified to the fullest extent possible. As authorized under subsection (a) of this section, the applicant may request the district board and the board may approve the charter application subject to specified conditions which provide the applicant sufficient time to acquire necessary funding for securing or otherwise finalizing arrangements for facilities or equipment necessary for the operation of the proposed school. In addition, the district board may upon request of the applicant and approval of the charter school application, make available for use by the charter school any district facility which is closed, not operational and otherwise feasible for use as an educational building as defined under W.S. 21-15-109(a)(ii).

(d) Upon the approval of any application by the district board, the applicant shall provide written notice of that approval including a copy of the application to the state superintendent. If the district board denies the application, the board shall not later than forty-five (45) days following the date of its decision, notify the applicant of the denial in writing together with its reasons for denial.

(e) A charter school may contract for the provision of services and property subject to the following:

(i) The contract shall be executed in the same manner and subject to the same restrictions as contracts by the school district;

(ii) The charter school shall be subject to all competitive bidding laws which apply to the school district;

(iii) The contract shall not exceed funds available to the charter school;

(iv) The contract shall not exceed the remaining length of operation for which the charter school was approved pursuant to W.S. 21-3-309;

(v) With the consent of the school district, the charter school may delegate the authority to negotiate the contract or execute the contract, or both, to the school district.

(f) A school district shall not discriminate against a charter school in publicizing the district's educational options through advertising, direct mail, availability of mailing lists or other informational activities.

(g) Charter schools shall meet the state uniform educational program standards imposed upon public schools by W.S. 21-9-101 and 21-9-102 and the uniform state student content and performance standards prescribed by the state board of education under W.S. 21-2-304, including compliance with requirements under the statewide assessment system pursuant to W.S. 21-2-304(a)(v).

(h) Those teachers employed on a full-time basis in the charter school system shall be subject to the same requirements with respect to certification by the Wyoming professional teaching standards board under W.S. 21-2-802 and other qualifications as any other teachers authorized to teach in Wyoming public schools.