Section 14.03.250 - Application for charter school(a) A local school board shall prescribe an application procedure for the establishment of a charter school in that school district. The application procedure must include provisions for an academic policy committee consisting of parents of students attending the school, teachers, and school employees and a proposed form for a contract between a charter school and the local school board, setting out the contract elements required under AS 14.03.255(c).(b) A decision of a local school board approving or denying an application for a charter school must be in writing, must be issued within 60 days after the application, and must include all relevant findings of fact and conclusions of law.(c) If a local school board approves an application for a charter school, the local school board shall forward the application to the state Board of Education and Early Development for review and approval.(d) If a local school board denies an application for a charter school, the applicant may appeal the denial to the commissioner. The appeal to the commissioner shall be filed not later than 60 days after the local school board issues its written decision of denial. The commissioner shall review the local school board's decision to determine whether the findings of fact are supported by substantial evidence and whether the decision is contrary to law. A decision of the commissioner upholding the denial by the local school board may be appealed within 30 days to the state Board of Education and Early Development.(e) If the commissioner approves a charter school application, the commissioner shall forward the application to the state Board of Education and Early Development for review and approval. The application shall be forwarded not later than 30 days after the commissioner issues a written decision. The state Board of Education and Early Development shall exercise independent judgment in evaluating the application.(f) A local school board that denied an application for a charter school approved by the state board on appeal shall operate the charter school as provided in AS 14.03.255 - 14.03.290.Amended by SLA 2014, ch. 15,sec. 9, eff. 7/1/2014.