(A) Nonpublic schools seeking a charter, including a conditional charter, shall submit an application in the manner prescribed by the department.

(1) The application and application process shall be published on the department website (www.education.ohio.gov).

(2) To initiate the process for receiving a charter from the state board of education, an application must be submitted to the department between the thirty-first day of December and the fifteenth day of January each year.

(B) The department shall issue a conditional charter to a nonpublic school that demonstrates compliance with the divisions (K)(1)(a) and (K)(1)(b) of section 3301.0711 of the Revised Code, as applicable, and section 3313.612 of the Revised Code.

(C) During each school year that a nonpublic school is educating students under a conditional charter, the nonpublic school shall complete and submit the form entitled "Report of Nonpublic School" by the deadline established by the department. The report may be published on the departments website (education.ohio.gov).

(D) A conditional charter issued by the department of education shall expire in the event the nonpublic school is not approved and issued a charter by the state board of education in accordance with paragraph (E) of this rule or within three years of the issuance of the conditional charter. Upon expiration of its conditional charter, a nonpublic school shall not be prevented from initiating another chartering process.

(E) The state board of education shall approve and issue a charter to a nonpublic school upon satisfactory completion of a site visit by the department in which the department determines the nonpublic school has complied with rule 3301-35-09 of the Administrative Code and within three years of the issuance of the conditional charter. In making its determination, the department shall consider evidence provided by an accrediting association if the school is accredited by an association whose standards have been reviewed by the state superintendent's advisory committee on chartered nonpublic schools and approved by the state board of education pursuant to paragraph (A)(1) of rule 3301-35-09 of the Administrative Code.