Pennsylvania Statutes Title 24 P.S. Education § 17-1715-A. Charter school requirements

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this article, a charter school is exempt from statutory requirements established in this act, from regulations of the State board and the standards of the secretary not specifically applicable to charter schools. Charter schools are not exempt from statutes applicable to public schools other than this act.

(2) A charter school shall be accountable to the parents, the public and the Commonwealth, with the delineation of that accountability reflected in the charter. Strategies for meaningful parent and community involvement shall be developed and implemented by each school.

(3) A charter school shall not unlawfully discriminate in admissions, hiring or operation.

(4) A charter school shall be nonsectarian in all operations.

(5) A charter school shall not provide any religious instruction, nor shall it display religious objects and symbols on the premises of the charter school.

(6) A charter school shall not advocate unlawful behavior.

(7) A charter school shall only be subject to the laws and regulations as provided for in section 1732-A,  1 or as otherwise provided for in this article.

(8) A charter school shall participate in the Pennsylvania State Assessment System as provided for in 22 Pa. Code Ch. 5 (relating to curriculum), or subsequent regulations promulgated to replace 22 Pa. Code Ch. 5, in the manner in which the school district in which the charter school is located is scheduled to participate.

(9) A charter school shall provide a minimum of one hundred eighty (180) days of instruction or nine hundred (900) hours per year of instruction at the elementary level, or nine hundred ninety (990) hours per year of instruction at the secondary level. Nothing in this clause shall preclude the use of computer and satellite linkages for delivering instruction to students.

(10) Boards of trustees and contractors of charter schools shall be subject to the following statutory requirements governing construction projects and construction-related work:

(11) Trustees of a charter school entity are public officials for the purposes of 65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 11 (relating to ethics standards and financial disclosure) and shall file a statement of financial interests for the preceding calendar year with the State Ethics Commission and either the local board of school directors in the case of a charter school or regional charter school, or the department in the case of a cyber charter school, not later than May 1 of each year that members hold the position and of the year after a member leaves the position. All members of the board of trustees of a charter school entity must be residents of this Commonwealth and shall take the oath of office as required under section 321  8 before entering upon the duties of their office.

(12) Deleted by 2024, July 11, P.L. 618, No. 55, § 21, imd. effective.

(c)(1) No individual who serves as an administrator for a charter school entity may receive compensation from another charter school entity or an educational management service provider, unless:

(2) A copy of the sworn statement under paragraph (1)(i) and the resolution by the board of trustees granting the permission under paragraph (1)(ii) shall be provided to, and kept on file with, the charter school entity and the local board of school directors or, in the case of a cyber charter school, the department.

(3) An administrator of a charter school entity and a family member of the administrator may not serve as a voting member of the board of trustees of the charter school entity that employs the administrator.

(5) An administrator shall be immediately dismissed upon conviction for an offense graded as a felony, an infamous crime, an offense pertaining to fraud, theft or mismanagement of public funds or any crime involving moral turpitude.