Charter School

A nonsectarian, tuition-free, public elementary or secondary school that is exempt from significant state or local rules that inhibit the flexible operation and management of public schools. Charters are created by a developer as a public school or adapted by a developer from an existing public school, and are operated under public supervision and direction. They operate under state charter laws in pursuit of a specific set of educational objectives determined by the school’s developer and agreed to by the authorized public chartering agency. All charters have a written performance contract with a public chartering agency that includes a description of how student performance will be measured pursuant to state assessments that are required of other schools. Charters also comply with federal civil rights laws and IDEA, and applicable federal, state and local health, safety and audit requirements. (sec. 5210(1)).

Source: U.S. Department of Education

Last reviewed October 2022