Notwithstanding the provisions of section 696(i) of the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, or any other provision of law to the contrary, the following shall apply:
(1) A charter school applicant may appeal a decision of a school reform commission to deny an application to establish a charter school in a school district of the first class to the State Charter School Appeal Board established under section 1721-A of the Public School Code of 1949.
(2) Section 1717-A(a), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), (h) and (i) of the Public School Code of 1949 shall apply to an application to establish a charter school in a school district of the first class.
(3) A school reform commission shall be considered a board of school directors or a local board of school directors as such terms are used in section 1717-A of the Public School Code of 1949.