Section 59-40-140 - Funds; services; reports(A) A local school board of trustees sponsor shall distribute state, county, and school district funds to a charter school as determined by the following formula: the previous year's audited total general fund revenues, divided by the previous year's weighted students, then increased by the Education Finance Act inflation factor, pursuant to Section 59-20-40, for the years following the audited expenditures, then multiplied by the weighted students enrolled in the charter school, which will be subject to adjustment for student attendance and state budget allocations based on the same criteria as the local school district. These amounts must be verified by the State Department of Education before the first disbursement of funds. All state and local funding must be distributed by the local school district to the charter school monthly beginning July first following approval of the charter school application and must continue to be disbursed to the charter school for the duration of its charter and for the duration of any subsequent renewals. After verification of student attendance on the fifth day of school at the beginning of each school year, the State Department of Education shall distribute funds to school districts with charter schools: (1) having approved incremental growth and expansion as provided in their charter application; or(2) for opening of new charter schools in the current fiscal year. These funds must be released to districts on behalf of their charter schools no later than fifteen days after receipt of verified enrollment. Districts shall provide this funding to eligible charters no later than thirty days after receipt from the Department of Education. Necessary adjustments due to enrollment changes must be made pursuant to the Education Finance Act.(B) The South Carolina Public Charter School District or public or independent institution of higher learning sponsor shall receive and distribute state funds to the charter school as provided by the General Assembly.(C) During the year of the charter school's operation, as received, and to the extent allowed by federal law, a sponsor shall distribute to the charter school federal funds which are allocated to the sponsor on the basis of the number of special characteristics of the students attending the charter school. These amounts must be verified by the State Department of Education before the first disbursement of funds.(D) Notwithstanding subsection (C), the proportionate share of state and federal resources generated by students or staff serving them must be directed to the sponsor. After receipt of federal or state categorical aid funds, sponsors shall, within ten business days, supply to the charter school the proportional share of each categorical fund for which the charter school qualifies. If the sponsor fails to do so, the Department of Education may fine the sponsor an amount equivalent to the withheld amounts. Fines imposed must be remitted to the charter school from which the amounts were withheld.(E) All services centrally or otherwise provided by the sponsor including, but not limited to, food services, custodial services, maintenance, curriculum, media services, libraries, and warehousing are subject to negotiation between a charter school and the sponsor and must be outlined in the contract required pursuant to Section 59-40-70(F), except as otherwise provided or required by law.(F) All awards, grants, or gifts collected by a charter school must be retained by the charter school.(G) The governing body of a charter school is authorized to accept gifts, donations, or grants of any kind made to the charter school and to expend or use the gifts, donations, or grants in accordance with the conditions prescribed by the donor. A gift or donation must not be required for admission. However, a gift, donation, or grant must not be accepted by the governing board if subject to a condition contrary to law or contrary to the terms of the contract between the charter school and the governing body. All gifts, donations, or grants must be reported to the sponsor in their annual audit report as required in Section 59-40-50(B)(3).(H) A charter school shall report to its sponsor and the Department of Education any change to information provided under its application. In addition, a charter school shall report at least annually to its sponsor and the sponsor shall compile those reports into a single document which must be submitted to the department. The Department of Education shall develop a template to be used by charter schools for this annual report. The report shall provide all information required by the sponsor or the department and shall include, at a minimum: (1) the number of students enrolled in the charter school from year to year;(2) the success of students in achieving the specific educational goals for which the charter school was established;(3) an analysis of achievement gaps among major groupings of students in both proficiency and growth;(4) the identity and certification status of the teaching staff;(5) the financial performance and sustainability of the sponsor's charter schools; and(6) board performance and stewardship including compliance with applicable laws.(I) The sponsor shall provide technical assistance to persons and groups preparing or revising charter applications at no expense.(J) Charter schools may acquire by gift, devise, purchase, lease, sublease, installment purchase agreement, land contract, option, or by any other means provided by law or otherwise, and hold and own in its own name buildings or other property for school purposes and interests in it which are necessary or convenient to fulfill its purposes.(K) Charter schools are exempt from state and local taxation, except the sales tax, on their earnings and property whether owned or leased. Instruments of conveyance to or from a charter school are exempt from all types of taxation of local or state taxes and transfer fees.(L) Notwithstanding the above provisions of this section, this subsection applies to converted charter schools that converted into a charter school after the effective date of this act. For purposes of computing the funding for any year to be provided a converted charter school under the provisions of this section, the computations required shall be made as provided in this section based on the previous year's revenues, expenditures, and other applicable factors pertaining to that particular converted charter school, and also then shall be made as provided in this section for the year immediately preceding the previous year based on the revenues, expenditures, and other applicable factors for that year pertaining to that particular converted charter school. The funding of the converted charter school for the initial year shall be the average of the weighted per pupil unit funding computed for these two prior years, and funding for the converted charter school after the initial year shall be provided by the school district in the same manner as regular public schools in the district.Amended by 2014 S.C. Acts, Act No. 208 (HB 4871), s 1, eff. 6/2/2014.Amended by 2012 S.C. Acts, Act No. 164 (HB 3241), s 11, eff. 5/14/2012.2006 Act No. 274, Section 1, eff 5/3/2006; 2002 Act No. 341, Section 1; 1996 Act No. 447, Section 2.