NRS386.550. Operation: General conditions; limitation on programs of distance education.

      1.  A charter school shall:

      (a) Comply with all laws and regulations relating to discrimination and civil rights.

      (b) Remain nonsectarian, including, without limitation, in its educational programs, policies for admission and employment practices.

      (c) Refrain from charging tuition or fees, levying taxes or issuing bonds.

      (d) Comply with any plan for desegregation ordered by a court that is in effect in the school district in which the charter school is located.

      (e) Comply with the provisions of chapter 241 of NRS.

      (f) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, schedule and provide annually at least as many days of instruction as are required of other public schools located in the same school district as the charter school is located. The governing body of a charter school may submit a written request to the Superintendent of Public Instruction for a waiver from providing the days of instruction required by this paragraph. The Superintendent of Public Instruction may grant such a request if the governing body demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Superintendent that:

             (1) Extenuating circumstances exist to justify the waiver; and

             (2) The charter school will provide at least as many hours or minutes of instruction as would be provided under a program consisting of 180 days.

      (g) Cooperate with the board of trustees of the school district in the administration of the examinations administered pursuant to NRS 389.550 and, if the charter school enrolls pupils at a high school grade level, the end-of-course examinations administered pursuant to NRS 389.805 and the college and career readiness assessment administered pursuant to NRS 389.807 to the pupils who are enrolled in the charter school.

      (h) Comply with applicable statutes and regulations governing the achievement and proficiency of pupils in this State.

      (i) Provide instruction in the core academic subjects set forth in subsection 1 of NRS 389.018, as applicable for the grade levels of pupils who are enrolled in the charter school, and provide at least the courses of study that are required of pupils by statute or regulation for promotion to the next grade or graduation from a public high school and require the pupils who are enrolled in the charter school to take those courses of study. This paragraph does not preclude a charter school from offering, or requiring the pupils who are enrolled in the charter school to take, other courses of study that are required by statute or regulation.

      (j) If the parent or legal guardian of a child submits an application to enroll in kindergarten, first grade or second grade at the charter school, comply with NRS 392.040 regarding the ages for enrollment in those grades.

      (k) Refrain from using public money to purchase real property or buildings without the approval of the sponsor.

      (l) Hold harmless, indemnify and defend the sponsor of the charter school against any claim or liability arising from an act or omission by the governing body of the charter school or an employee or officer of the charter school. An action at law may not be maintained against the sponsor of a charter school for any cause of action for which the charter school has obtained liability insurance.

      (m) Provide written notice to the parents or legal guardians of pupils in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, who are enrolled in the charter school of whether the charter school is accredited by the Commission on Schools of the Northwest Association of Schools and of Colleges and Universities.

      (n) Adopt a final budget in accordance with the regulations adopted by the Department. A charter school is not required to adopt a final budget pursuant to NRS 354.598 or otherwise comply with the provisions of chapter 354 of NRS.

      (o) If the charter school provides a program of distance education pursuant to NRS 388.820 to 388.874, inclusive, comply with all statutes and regulations that are applicable to a program of distance education for purposes of the operation of the program.

      2.  A charter school shall not provide instruction through a program of distance education to children who are exempt from compulsory attendance authorized by the State Board pursuant to subsection 1 of NRS 392.070. As used in this subsection, “distance education” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 388.826.

      (Added to NRS by 1997, 1849; A 1999, 2664, 3256, 3297, 3383; 2001, 238, 240, 3132; 2013, 3262)