(1) The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that:
There is a growing demand for more charter schools in the state;
There is an underserved population of at-risk students in the state, for whom innovative educational models are needed.
(2) The intent of the general assembly in establishing the state charter school institute pursuant to this part 5 is to:
Provide an alternative mode of authorizing charter schools as a means to assist schooldistricts in utilizing best practices for chartering schools and to approve and oversee charter schools in school districts not desiring to do so themselves; and
Preserve the authority of a school district to authorize charter schools, at the schooldistrict's option.
Source: L. 2004: Entire part added, p. 1594, § 1, effective July 1.