KRS 160.1597: Term of approved charter school contract -- Contract between board of

directors and authorizer's governing body -- Corporate powers -- Prohibition

against tax levies and use of eminent domain -- Immunity from liability.

(1) Upon the approval of a charter contract by a public charter school authorizer, the

applicant shall be permitted to operate a public charter school for a term of five (5)

years.

(2) The board of directors of the public charter school shall negotiate and execute a

charter contract with the governing body of the authorizer.

(3) A public charter school shall have all corporate powers necessary and desirable for

carrying out a public charter school program in accordance with this section and the

terms of the charter contract, in cluding all of the powers of a local board of

education and of a local school district, except as otherwise provided in KRS

160.1590 to 160.1599.

(4) The powers granted to a public charter school under this section constitute the

performance of essential public purposes and governmental purposes of this state. A

public charter school shall be exempt to the same extent as other public schools

from all taxation, fees, assessments, and special ad valorem levies on its earnings

and its property. Instruments of conveyance to or from a public charter school and

any bonds or notes issued by a public charter school, together with the income

received, shall at all times be exempt from taxation.

(5) A public charter school shall not have the power to levy taxes or to acquire property

by eminent domain, but shall have police powers to the same extent and under the

same requirements as a local school district.

(6) The board of directors of the public charter school shall have final authority over

policy and operational decisions of the public charter school, although the decision -

making authority may be delegated to the administrators and staff of the school in

accordance with the provisions of the charter contract.

(7) Notwithstanding any other statute to the contrary, n o civil liability shall attach to

any public charter school authorizer or to any of its members or employees,

individually or collectively, for any acts or omissions of the public charter school.

Neither the local school district nor the Commonwealth shall be liable for the debts

or financial obligations of a public charter school or any person or corporate entity

who operates a public charter school.