(A)(1) Subject to item (2), an existing public school may be converted into a charter school if two-thirds of the faculty and instructional staff employed at the school and two-thirds of all voting parents or legal guardians of students enrolled in the school agree to the filing of an application with the local school board of trustees for the conversion and formation of that school into a charter school. Parents or legal guardians of students enrolled in the school must be given the opportunity to vote on the conversion. Parents or guardians of a student shall have one vote for each student enrolled in the school seeking conversion. The application must be submitted pursuant to § 59-40-70(A)(5) by the principal of that school or his designee who must be considered the applicant. The application must include all information required of other applications pursuant to this chapter. The local school board of trustees shall approve or disapprove this application in the same manner it approves or disapproves other applications. The existence of another charter granting authority must not be grounds for disapproving a school desiring to convert to a charter school.

(2)(a) In addition to the vote requirements required in item (1), if a proposed conversion school has outstanding general obligation bond debt owed on it and that debt is resulting from an ordinance originally authorizing the bonds, and the original authorization was no more than ten years prior to the proposed conversion, and the bonds were specifically issued for the construction or improvement of the proposed conversion school, the school may be converted into a charter school only upon a majority vote of the local school board of trustees.

(b) In addition to the vote requirements required in item (1), if a proposed conversion school has outstanding general obligation bond debt owed on it and that debt is resulting from a referendum originally authorizing the bonds, and the original authorization was no more than ten years prior to the proposed conversion, and the bonds were specifically issued for the construction or improvement of the proposed conversion school, the school may be converted into a charter school only upon a two-thirds vote of the local school board of trustees.

(B) A converted charter school shall offer at least the same grades, or nongraded education appropriate for the same ages and education levels of pupils, as offered by the school immediately before conversion, and also may provide additional grades and further educational offerings.

(C) All students enrolled in the school at the time of conversion must be given priority enrollment. Thereafter, students who reside within the former attendance area of that public school must be given enrollment priority.

(D) All employees of a converted school shall remain employees of the local school district, the South Carolina Public Charter School District, or the public or independent institution of higher learning sponsor with the same compensation and benefits including any future increases. The converted charter school quarterly shall reimburse the local school district, the South Carolina Public Charter School District, or the public or independent institution of higher learning sponsor for the compensation and employer contribution benefits paid to or on behalf of these employees and also provide to the sponsor any reports, forms, or data necessary for maintaining retirement coverage and providing South Carolina Retirement Systems benefits to converted school employees. The provisions of Article 5, Chapter 25 of Title 59 apply to the employment and dismissal of teachers at a converted school.

(E) For the duration of a converted charter school’s contract with a sponsor, a converted charter school shall have the right to retain occupancy and use of the school’s facility or facilities and all equipment, furniture, and supplies that were available to the school before it converted, in the same manner as before the school converted, with no additional fees or charges.

(F) The South Carolina Public Charter School District or a public or independent institution of higher learning may not sponsor a public school to convert to a charter school. However, the South Carolina Public Charter School District or a public or independent institution of higher learning may sponsor a converted charter school renewal if the charter school has not committed a material violation of the provisions specified in subsection (C) of § 59-40-110 and the local school district board of trustees refuses to renew the charter. In such cases, the charter school shall continue to receive local funding pursuant to § 59-40-110(A). However, the charter school is not eligible to receive one hundred percent of the base student cost from the State. The charter school only is eligible to receive the percentage of the base student cost previously received as a school in its former district.

(G) A governing board or a school district employee who has control over personnel actions shall not take unlawful reprisal against another employee of the school district because the employee is directly or indirectly involved in an application to establish a charter school. A governing board or a school district employee shall not take unlawful reprisal against an educational program of the school or the school district because an application to establish a charter school proposes the conversion of all or a portion of the educational program to a charter school.

As used in this subsection, "unlawful reprisal" means an action that is taken by a governing board or a school district employee as a direct result of a lawful application to establish a charter school and that is adverse to another employee or education program and:

(1) with respect to a school district employee, results in:

(a) disciplinary or corrective action;

(b) detail, transfer, or reassignment;

(c) suspension, demotion, or dismissal;

(d) an unfavorable performance evaluation;

(e) a reduction in pay, benefits, or awards;

(f) elimination of the employee’s position without a reduction in force by reason of lack of monies or work; or

(g) other significant changes in duties or responsibilities that are inconsistent with the employee’s salary or employment classification; and

(2) with respect to an educational program, results in:

(a) suspension or termination of the program;

(b) transfer or reassignment of the program to a less favorable department;

(c) relocation of the program to a less favorable site within the school district; or

(d) significant reduction or termination of funding for the program.

(H) A special public school that is funded directly by the State of South Carolina and, therefore, is not associated with a public school district may apply to become a public charter school if it serves as a professional development school for an institution of higher learning’s teacher education program. If a special public school becomes a public charter school pursuant to this subsection, the provisions of § 59-127-75 do not apply.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if the qualifying special public school becomes a public charter school, it shall be deemed not to be a converted charter school.