{"data":{"id":"us-va/va.-code-22.1-212.5","jurisdiction":"us-va","citation":"Va. Code § 22.1-212.5","heading":"Objectives; definitions","body":"A. In order to (i) stimulate the development of innovative programs within public education; (ii) provide opportunities for innovative instruction and assessment; (iii) provide parents and students with more options within their school divisions; (iv) provide teachers with a vehicle for establishing schools with alternative innovative instruction and school scheduling, management and structure; (v) encourage the use of performance-based educational programs; (vi) establish high standards for both teachers and administrators; and (vii) develop models for replication in other public schools, public charter schools may be established in Virginia as provided in this article.B. As used in this article:\"At-risk pupil\" means a student having a physical, emotional, intellectual, socioeconomic, or cultural risk factor, as defined in Board of Education criteria, which research indicates may negatively influence educational success.\"Public charter school\" means a public, nonreligious, or non-home-based alternative school located within a public school division. A public charter school may be created as a new public school or through the conversion of all or part of an existing public school; however, no public charter school shall be established through the conversion of a private school or a nonpublic home-based educational program. A charter school for at-risk pupils may be established as a residential school.\"Regional public charter school\" means a public charter school operated by two or more school boards and chartered directly by the participating school boards.1998, cc. 748, 890; 2000, cc. 631, 712, 1028; 2004, c. 530; 2005, c. 928.","path":["Title 22.1. EDUCATION","Chapter 13. PROGRAMS, COURSES OF INSTRUCTION AND TEXTBOOKS","Article 1.2. ESTABLISHMENT OF CHARTER SCHOOLS"],"source_url":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/22.1-212.5/","current_through":"9/4/2026","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-04T15:14:54Z","sha256":"fead4cf8685d7a094156b12ef712232bfd1270964cbdfcf7d306b3d208617c92","source_id":"us-va","stale":true,"prev":"us-va/va.-code-22.1-212.3","next":"us-va/va.-code-22.1-212.5-1"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}