Effective 7-1-2027.

1. (b) A board may enter into an agreement with an organizer to:

   1. (1) reconstitute an eligible school as a participating innovation network charter school; or

   2. (2) establish a participating innovation network charter school at a location:

      1. (A) selected by the board; or

      2. (B) within the geographic boundaries of any school corporation with which the organizer enters into an agreement under this section.

         Notwithstanding IC 20-26-7.1 , a participating innovation network charter school may be established within a vacant school building.

2. (c) The terms of the agreement entered into between a board of a school corporation and an organizer must specify the following:

   1. (1) A statement that the organizer authorizes the department to include the charter school's performance assessment results under IC 20-31-8 for students who reside within the geographic boundaries of the school corporation when calculating the school corporation's performance assessment under rules adopted by the state board.

   2. (2) Subject to an administrative fee as described in subsection (h), a statement that the school corporation will distribute at least one hundred percent (100%) of state tuition support dollars that the school corporation receives for students who:

      1. (A) reside within the geographic boundaries of the school corporation; and

      2. (B) are enrolled in the participating innovation network charter school;

         in accordance with the school funding formula to the participating innovation network charter school (if the participating innovation network charter school is, with regard to students described in this subsection, treated in the same manner as a school operated by the school corporation under subsection (e)(2)).

   3. (3) The performance goals and accountability metrics agreed upon for the charter school in the charter agreement between the organizer and the authorizer and a statement that the school corporation is prohibited from setting additional performance goals or accountability metrics.
   4. (4) The process the board is required to follow in determining whether to renew the agreement.
   5. (5) The amount of money levied as property taxes that will be distributed by the school corporation to the organizer.
   6. (6) Subject to section 5 of this chapter, the participating innovation network charter school's enrollment and discipline policies, including defined attendance areas and enrollment zones.
   7. (7) A statement that the innovation agreement shall not create an obligation that would cause the organizer to be in violation of its charter agreement (as described in IC 20-24-1-3 ).
3. (d) If an organizer and a board enter into an agreement under subsection (b), the organizer and the board shall notify the department that the agreement has been made under this section within thirty (30) days after the agreement is entered into.

4. (e) Upon receipt of the notification under subsection (d), for school years starting after the date of the agreement:

   1. (1) the department shall include the participating innovation network charter school's performance assessment results under IC 20-31-8 for students who reside within the geographic boundaries of the school corporation when calculating the school corporation's performance assessment under rules adopted by the state board; and

   2. (2) the department shall:

      1. (A) treat the participating innovation network charter school in the same manner as a school operated by the school corporation with regard to students residing within the geographic boundaries of the school corporation when calculating the total amount of state funding to be distributed to the school corporation unless subsection (f) applies; and
      2. (B) in determining the school corporation's enrollment, include only eligible pupils enrolled in the participating innovation network charter school who reside within the geographic boundaries of the school corporation.
5. (f) If a participating innovation network school was established before January 1, 2016, and for the current school year has a complexity index that is greater than the complexity index for the school corporation that the innovation network school has contracted with, the innovation network school shall be treated as a charter school for purposes of determining tuition support. This subsection expires June 30, 2027.
6. (g) If the board or organizer fails to follow the process described in subsection (c)(4), the board or organizer may appeal to the state board. The state board shall hear the appeal in a public meeting and ensure that the board or organizer follows the renewal process specified in the agreement. The board may not terminate an agreement until the board has provided evidence to the state board that the board has complied with the renewal process specified in the agreement. The state board shall issue a decision on an appeal under this subsection not later than sixty (60) days after the date the board or organizer submitted the appeal to the state board.

7. (h) If an administrative fee is included in an agreement entered into or renewed under this section after June 30, 2027, each school corporation with which an organizer of a participating innovation network charter school has entered into an agreement may assess an administrative fee of not more than one percent (1%) of the tuition support dollars that the school corporation receives for students who:

   1. (1) reside within the geographic boundaries of the school corporation; and
   2. (2) are enrolled in the participating innovation network charter school.
8. (i) An agreement entered into between the board and an organizer under this section may not be altered without written approval from the organizer.

Sec. 2.5. (a) This section applies to a charter school in which the organizer of the charter school has entered into a participating innovation network charter school agreement for that charter school with more than one (1) board.

As added by P.L.151-2026, SEC.7.