Can community-based organizations and business entities play a role in charter schools?
Yes. Community-based organizations and businesses can play a positive role in creating and supporting charter schools. Examples of ways in which non-religious organizations can get involved in charter schools include helping to plan or design a new school, developing curriculum and assessment strategies, serving on governing boards, participating in the day-to-day management of charter schools, establishing partnerships with charter schools, and even creating work-site charter schools. A broad range of community-based organizations and businesses are currently involved with charter schools, including plastics and automobile manufacturers; hospitals, museums and homeless shelters; and courts and social service agencies. Like all charter schools, charter schools operated by or affiliated with community-based organizations or business entities must be schools of choice, must be non-religious, and must operate in a nondiscriminatory manner. Religious organizations may also be involved with
