1. Charter schools shall be part of the state‘s program of public education.

Terms Used In Iowa Code 256E.1

  • Attendance center: means a school building that contains classrooms used for instructional purposes for elementary, middle, or secondary school students. See Iowa Code 256E.2
  • Charter school: means a school established in accordance with this chapter. See Iowa Code 256E.2
  • following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Founding group: means a person, group of persons, or education service provider that develops and submits an application for a charter school to the state board under this chapter. See Iowa Code 256E.2
  • School: means an agency of the state or political subdivision of the state, individual, partnership, company, firm, society, trust, association, corporation, or any combination which meets any of the following criteria:
     a. See Iowa Code 261B.2
  • School board: means a board of directors regularly elected by the registered voters of an accredited public school district. See Iowa Code 256E.2
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • State board: means the state board of education. See Iowa Code 256E.2
  • Student: means a person who enrolls in or seeks to enroll in a course of instruction offered or conducted by a school. See Iowa Code 261B.2
 2. A charter school may be established by either of the following methods:

 a. A school board may create a founding group to apply to the state board for approval to establish and operate a charter school within and as a part of the school district by establishing a new attendance center, creating a new school within an existing attendance center, or by converting an existing attendance center to charter status.
 b. A founding group may apply to the state board for approval to establish and operate a charter school within the boundaries of the state that operates as a new attendance center independently from a public school district.
 3. The purpose of a charter school established pursuant to this chapter shall be to accomplish the following:

 a. Improve student learning, well-being, and postsecondary success.
 b. Increase learning opportunities for students in areas of need in this state, including but not limited to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM).
 c. Increase opportunities for work-based learning, early literacy intervention, and serving at-risk populations.
 d. Accelerating student learning to prevent learning loss during the COVID-19 pandemic and other significant disruptions to student learning.
 e. Encourage the use of evidence-based practices in innovative environments.
 f. Require the measurement and evaluation of program implementation and learning outcomes.
 g. Establish models of success for Iowa schools.
 h. Create new professional opportunities for teachers and other educators.
 i. Investigate and establish different organizational structures for schools to use to implement a multi-tiered system of supports for students.
 j. Allow greater flexibility to meet the education needs of a diverse student population and changing workforce needs.
 k. Allow for the flexible allocation of resources through implementation of specialized school budgets for the benefit of the schools served.
 l. Allow greater flexibility for districts and schools to focus on closing gaps in student opportunity and achievement for all students from preschool through postsecondary preparation.
 4. The state board of education shall be the only authorizer of charter schools under this chapter.
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