What is a Charter School?
A charter school is a new form of public school that may be started and operated by individuals or organizations from outside of the traditional school district system. Successful charter school developers are granted a charter to operate a public school for a fixed period of time (in California usually for 5 years). Charter schools are generally exempt from most laws that apply to regular public schools, so administrators, faculty, staff and parents have considerable autonomy in designing an educational program, facilities and budget that meet the needs of their students. In exchange for this increased autonomy, charter schools are held much more strictly accountable than most non-charter public schools. Charter schools must meet all of the student performance and operational goals listed in their charter, or their charter may be revoked. The first charter school law was passed in Minnesota in 1992. California was the second state to enact charter legislation in 1992, authored by then
A charter school is an independent public school that operates independently of the district board of education. In effect, a charter school is a one-school public school district. A group of people educators, parents, community leaders, educational entrepreneurs or others write the charter plan describing the school’s guiding principles, governance structure, and applicable accountability measures. If the state approves the charter, the state funds the charter on a per pupil basis. In most cases charter schools operate under a clear agreement between the state and the school: increased autonomy in exchange for increased accountability. Because they are schools of choice, they are held to the highest level of accountability consumer demand.
A charter school is a form of public school that is free from most of the restrictive laws that govern traditional public schools. This allows a charter schools more flexibility to implement creative and innovative programs and policies. In return for this freedom, a charter school is held more accountable for student success. Funded like other public schools, a charter school operates under a contract detailing the school’s mission, program, goals, students served, methods of assessment, and ways to measure success.
Charter schools are independently-run public schools that operate according to the terms of a contract, or charter, between a private group and a school district or state. In exchange for greater freedom over items such as the academic program, management structure, and length of the school day and year, charters are held accountable for concrete performance targets. For more information about charter schools, visit our page entitled Teaching in a New Orleans public school.
Charter schools are K-12 public schools started by parents, teachers, and/or community members who apply to the Arizona Department of Education for a “charter,” which defines the school’s specific mission and goals, and how these goals will be measured. Charter schools are accountable to their sponsors, parents and families, the state, and the public for achieving measurable results in student achievement and for implementing fiscally sound management. Sponsors of charter schools vary widely but are often charitable or service organizations, local school districts, or post-secondary institutions. Charter schools are extremely diverse in their focuses. From project-based high schools to arts-intensive schools to online learning and technology-focused schools, the missions of charter schools in Arizona vary widely. Since charter schools are public schools, they are open to anyone, free of charge.
