What is a charter school?

A charter school is a secular, tuition-free public school that is freed from many of the regulations governing traditional public schools. It controls its own curriculum, staffing, organization and budget. In exchange for this freedom, it must maximize student potential, deliver programs tailored to educational excellence, and meet and exceed the academic standards of the sponsoring state.

A charter school is a public school and may provide instruction in any of grades K-12. A charter school is usually created or organized by a group of teachers, parents and community leaders or a community-based organization and is usually sponsored by an existing local public school board or county board of education. Specific goals and operating procedures for the charter school are detailed in an agreement (or "charter") between the sponsoring board and charter organizers. A charter school is generally exempt from most laws governing school districts, except where specifically noted in the law. California public charter schools are required to participate in the statewide assessment test, called the STAR (Standardized Testing and Reporting) program. The law also requires that a public charter school be nonsectarian in its programs, admission policies, employment practices, and all other operations, and prohibits the conversion of a private school to a charter school. Public charter ...  more

A charter school is a public school of choice, founded by a group of parents, educators or community members. Charter schools must be approved by their local district and student enrollment is limited only by space availability. The district and charter school negotiate a contract or "charter" based upon a proposal by the originating group. The philosophy and operation of a charter school are independent of the school district, reflecting the beliefs of the founding members. Charter schools do, however, carry a public obligation and are overall accountable to their local school district. Charter schools are non-religious, non-sectarian and do not discriminate in their admission policies.  more

According to the Missouri Charter Public School Association, a charter school is a public school that is organized differently than traditional district public schools. A charter public school is governed by an independent school board whose only focus and responsibility is that particular school. This allows charter schools to be hyper-responsive to the needs of students and families enrolled in them. In exchange for this independence and freedom, charter schools operate under contracts (or “charters”) that allow them to be closed or replaced for failing to reach specific academic and non-academic goals, or for failing to operate in a responsible manner. Charter schools are public schools, are free and open to all students in the districts where they operate, and are accountable for specific results.  more

A charter school is a public, nonreligious, tuition-free school created through a contract or charter between the operators and the sponsoring school board. Charter schools have the flexibility to design and deliver innovative curriculum in nontraditional ways in order to meet the needs of participating students. Teachers are certified and licensed by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and are school district employees. For more information about charter schools in Wisconsin, please click here.  more

A charter school is a public school whose operation is based on a contract with an authorizer (in Utah this is the state board of education), and is funded by the government, but may be initiated and run by parents, teachers, corporations, or community members. 40 states have charter schools. Charter school laws allow differing degrees of autonomy for charter schools, from blanket waivers of state laws and rules to no waivers from regulation. The purpose of charter schools is to find new and innovative ways of educating students that are more effective and perhaps more efficient, and to allow individuals and organizations outside of the educational establishment to create and run schools.  more

The DC Public Charter School Board describes charter schools as "independently-operated public schools that are open to all District residents, regardless of their neighborhood, socioeconomic status, academic achievement, or ethnicity. There are no admission tests or tuition fees. Parents and students choose to attend a particular charter school because its unique focus, curriculum, structure, size, environment and other features meets the needs of those students.  more