As used in this article, the term:

(1) "Charter" means an academic or vocational performance based contract or an academic and vocational performance based contract between the state board, a local board of education, and a charter petitioner, the terms of which are approved by the local board of education and by the state board.

(2) "Charter petitioner" means a local school, private individual, private organization, or state or local public entity which submits a petition for a charter. The term "charter petitioner" does not include home study programs or schools, sectarian schools, religious schools, private for profit schools, private educational institutions not established, operated, or governed by the State of Georgia, or existing private schools.

(3) "Charter school" means a public school that is operating under the terms of a charter granted by the state board.

(4) "Local board" means a county or independent board of education exercising control and management of a local school system pursuant to Article VIII, Section V, Paragraph II of the Constitution.

(5) "Local school" means a public school in Georgia which is under the management and control of a local board.

(6) "Local school system" means the system of public schools established and maintained by a local board within its limits pursuant to Article VIII, Section V, Paragraph I of the Constitution.

(7) "Minimum state standards" means such minimum standards as are established by the state board as a condition of continued state fiscal assistance to a local school system.

(8) "Petition" means a proposal to enter into a charter.

(9) "State board" means the State Board of Education.