What Is A Charter School?

A charter school is a tuition-free independent public school working within the public school system. Charter schools have the freedom to design or choose their own curriculum, hire their own staff, and control their own budget. They are supported through public funds in a way similar to traditional public schools. A charter school can be created by a group of teachers, parents and community leaders, or by a nonprofit organization like Education for Change. A charter school is usually approved for a 5 year term, and is overseen and sponsored by an existing local public board or county board of education.

In 1991, Minnesota was the first state to approve charter school legislation. Since that time charter school have continued to grow as a school reform effort, and are having a profound impact on K-12 public education around the country. California was the second state to pass a charter school law in 1992. Since then, over 40 states and the District of Columbia now have charter school laws. Nation-wide there are now approximately 3,000 charter schools operating today, serving approximately 700,000 students.

Specific goals and operating procedures for every charter school are detailed in an agreement (or "charter petition") between the sponsoring school board and the charter school organizers. The charter establishing each such school is a performance contract detailing the school's program, goals, students served, methods of assessment, and ways to measure success.

A charter school is generally exempt from most laws that apply to school districts, except where specifically noted in the charter school law. For example, California public charter schools are required to participate in the statewide testing program. The law also prohibits all charter schools from religious instruction, charging tuition and discrimination against any pupil on the basis of ethnicity, national origin, gender, or disability. The California law also expressly prohibits the conversion of a private school to a charter school.

For additional information on charter schools, please visit the following websites: