LAC 28:CXXXIX.1507. Renewal Term Length for BESE-Authorized Charter Schools (Formerly §1503.C)

A. For each charter school meeting the eligibility criteria for renewal, the state superintendent shall recommend that BESE renew of the charter for a specified number of years as provided for in Subsection C of this Section, unless the charter school has significant, intentional, or repeated non-compliance with financial or organizational requirements outlined in the charter school performance compact, in which case the state superintendent may recommend that BESE allow the charter to expire at the conclusion of the school’s current charter term. B. For those charter schools the state superintendent recommends for renewal, the state superintendent shall recommend a renewal term length as follows: 1. the state superintendent shall recommend a minimum renewal term length based on the charter school’s current letter grade; and 2. the state superintendent may recommend a term of years longer than the minimum renewal term length through the optional addition of one or more years to the minimum renewal term length in recognition of the charter school’s financial and organizational performance as provided for in the charter school performance compact over the term of the school’s current charter. C. The state superintendent shall recommend renewal term lengths. Minimum renewal term lengths with potential additional years are based on organizational and financial performance over the current term. 1. A charter school with a current letter grade of A shall receive a minimum term length of 6 years, with potential additional years as follows: a. Does not meet expectations in any year, no additional years; b. Meets all and/or meets most expectations in all years, ≤ 2 years; c. Meets all expectations in all years, ≤ 4 years. 2. A charter school with a current letter grade of B shall receive a minimum term length of 5 years, with potential additional years as follows: a. Does not meet expectations in any year, no additional years; b. Meets all and/or meets most expectations in all years, ≤ 1 year; c. Meets all expectations in all years, ≤ 2 years. 3. A charter school with a current letter grade of C shall receive a minimum term length of 4 years, with no additional years. 4. No letter grade or a current letter grade of D or F shall receive a minimum term length of 3 years, with no additional years. D. Notwithstanding the above: 1. the state superintendent may recommend a renewal term that is up to two years shorter than the minimum term length specified above, which shall be no shorter than three years in any case, for a charter school: a. where fewer than 50 percent of the school’s enrolled grades are testable under state accountability; or b. that has significant, intentional, or repeated non-compliance with financial or organizational requirements outlined in the charter school performance compact.