|
LAW |
|
Year Passed |
1996; last amended in 2009.
|
|
Rank |
12th weakest of the nation's 41 charter laws. |
|
Grade |
D |
|
GENERAL DATA |
|
|
• Constrictive cap has prevented charter school growth
• Charters have had to sue districts to gain access to equitable funds
• Weak state charter law likely to be amended in new legislature |
|
INDEPENDENT OR MULTIPLE AUTHORIZERS - YES (2) |
|
Approval |
State Board of Education, with school board's approval. UNC has the power to authorize, but has never created a mechanism to do so. |
|
Appeal |
Yes. Applications denied by the school board may be appealed to the State
Board of Education. |
|
NUMBER OF SCHOOLS ALLOWED |
|
Cap |
Yes. 100 total schools allowed in state. Five charters may be approved each
year per school district. |
|
OPERATIONAL AUTONOMY |
|
State |
Limited. Blanket waiver provided from most, not all rules and regulations.
Virtual schools are not allowed. Management contracts with ESPs are not
restricted. |
|
Local |
Limited. School boards impose various requirements. |
|
Teacher Freedom |
Yes. Teachers are not subject to district work rules. Teachers have the option
to participate in the state system; charter boards decide whether to
participate or not. |
|
EQUITY |
|
Student Funding |
• Funding allocation is supposed to be equal but often is not.
• Local funds often withheld; charters have won lawsuits over this issue.
• Charters are suing over not receiving lottery funds.
• Funds pass through state and district.
"The State Board of Education shall allocate to each charter school: (1) An amount equal to the average per pupil allocation for average daily membership from the local school administrative unit allotments in which the charter school is located for each child attending the charter school except for the allocation for children with disabilities and for the allocation for children with limited English proficiency; (2) An additional amount for each child attending the charter school who is a child with disabilities; and (3) An additional amount for children with limited English proficiency attending the charter school, based on a formula adopted by the State Board." [N.C. Gen. Stat. § 115C-238.29H(a)] |
|
Facilities Funding |
None |
