Sec. 12.101. AUTHORIZATION

(a) In accordance with this subchapter, the State Board of Education may grant a charter on the application of an eligible entity for an open-enrollment charter school to operate in a facility of a commercial or nonprofit entity, an eligible entity, or a school district, including a home-rule school district. In this subsection, "eligible entity" means:

(1) an institution of higher education as defined under Section 61.003;

(2) a private or independent institution of higher education as defined under Section 61.003;

(3) an organization that is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3), Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. Section 501(c)(3)); or

(4) a governmental entity.

(b) The State Board of Education may grant a charter for an open-enrollment charter school only to an applicant that meets any financial, governing, and operational standards adopted by the commissioner under this subchapter. The State Board of Education may not grant a total of more than 215 charters for an open-enrollment charter school.

(c) If the facility to be used for an open-enrollment charter school is a school district facility, the school must be operated in the facility in accordance with the terms established by the board of trustees or other governing body of the district in an agreement governing the relationship between the school and the district.

(d) An educator employed by a school district before the effective date of a charter for an open-enrollment charter school operated at a school district facility may not be transferred to or employed by the open-enrollment charter school over the educator's objection.

Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 1, eff. May 30, 1995. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1504, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 193, Sec. 1, eff. June 2, 2003.