AUTHORIZATION

(a) In accordance with this subchapter and Subchapter D, the commissioner may grant a charter on the application of: (1) a public senior college or university for an open-enrollment charter school to operate on the campus of the public senior college or university or, subject to Subsection (b), at another location in any county in this state; or (2) a public junior college for an open-enrollment charter school to operate on the campus of the public junior college or in the same county in which the campus of the public junior college is located. (b) In evaluating an application submitted under Subsection (a)(1) for a charter to operate an open-enrollment charter school in a county other than the county in which the campus of the applicant is located, the commissioner shall consider: (1) the locations of existing open-enrollment charter schools, as appropriate, to avoid duplication of services in the area in which the applicant proposes to operate the school; and (2) the need of the community in the area in which the applicant proposes to operate the school to have an additional open-enrollment charter school.