R277-550. Charter Schools - Definitions, R277. Education, Administration, Utah Administrative Code

Utah Administrative Code (Current through November 1, 2019)

R277. Education, Administration

R277-550. Charter Schools - Definitions

R277-550-1. Authority and Purpose

Latest version.

(1) This rule is authorized by:

(a) Utah Constitution Article X, Section 3, which vests general control and supervision over public education in the Board;

(b) Subsection 53E-3-401(4), which allows the Board to make rules to execute the Board's duties and responsibilities under the Utah Constitution and state law; and

(c) Title 53G, Chapter 5, Charter Schools, which allows the Board to make rules governing aspects of operations of charter schools.

(2) The purpose of this rule is to establish definitions for rules governing charter schools.

(3) The definitions contained in this rule apply to Rules R277-550 through R277-555.

R277-550-2. Definitions

Latest version.

(1) "Amendment" means a change or addition to a charter agreement.

(2) "Authorizer" means an entity approved to authorize the establishment of a charter school under Sections 53G-5-304 through 53G-5-306.

(3) "Charter school" means a public school created in accordance with the provisions of Title 53G, Chapter 5, Charter Schools.

(4)(a) "Charter school agreement" or "Charter agreement" means a written agreement between a charter school and its authorizer containing the terms and conditions for the operation of a charter school.

(b) The charter school agreement maintained by a charter school's authorizer is the final, official, and complete agreement.

(5) "Charter school deficiency" means:

(a) failure of a charter school to comply with its charter agreement, including governance, financial, academic, or operational obligations;

(b) failure of a charter school to comply with the requirements of state or federal law or board rule;

(c) failure of a charter school to meet terms established by the school's authorizer as part of a remediation process; or

(d) fraud or misuse of funds by charter school governing board members or employees.

(6) "Charter school governing board" means the local board that governs a charter school.

(7) "Expansion" means:

(a) an increase in the number of grade levels offered by a charter school identified by a single school number; or

(b) an increase in the number of students for which a charter school identified by a single school number is authorized to receive funding.

(8) "Mentor" means an individual or organization with expertise or demonstrated competence, approved by the State Charter School Board to advise charter schools in the Mentoring Program.

(9) "Mentoring program" means the State Charter School Board mentoring program.

(10) "Probation" means a written formal action and notification through which a school is required to demonstrate the school's compliance with the authorizer's probationary requirements.

(11) "Replication school" means a charter school affiliated with an existing charter school physically located in the state of Utah that:

(a) has the same governing board as the existing charter school;

(b) has a similar program of instruction as the existing charter school;

(d) has a separate school number than the existing charter school.

(12) "Non-operating charter school" means a charter school that has not received minimum school program funds or federal funds and is not providing educational services during a fiscal year, such as a charter school in a start-up period.

(13) "Operating charter school" means a charter school that has received minimum school program funds or federal funds and is providing educational services during a fiscal year.

(14) "Satellite school" means a charter school affiliated with an existing charter school physically located within the state of Utah that:

(a) has the same governing board as the existing charter school;

(b) has a different program of instruction or grades served from the existing charter school;

(d) has a separate school number than the existing charter school.

(15) "School number" means a number assigned by the Superintendent in accordance with National Center for Education Statistics criteria that identifies a distinct school within an LEA.

(16) "State Charter School Board" means the board established in Section 53G-5-201.

(17) "Utah Consolidated Application" or "UCA" means the web-based grants management tool employed by the Superintendent through which LEAs submit plans and budgets for approval by the Superintendent or Board.

(18) "Utah eTranscript and Record Exchange" or "UTREx" has the same meaning as described in Subsection R277-484-2(11).