A charter school is a tuition free, nonsectarian public school
of choice that operates independently, with freedom from many of
the regulations that apply to traditional public schools. The
"charter" establishing each such school is a performance contract
detailing the school's mission, program, goals, students served,
methods of assessment, and ways to measure success. A charter
school is usually able to hire its own staff but can be closed for
failure to meet its promises regarding student performance or for
financial mismanagement. Charter schools generally offer
teachers, families, and students more authority to make decisions
than most traditional public schools. Instead of being
accountable for compliance with rules and regulations, they are
accountable for academic results and for upholding their charter.
Who authorizes charter schools?
This varies from state to state, depending on the state's
charter law. In California there are three types of
authorizers: the governing board of the school districts, county
boards of education, or the state board. Generally there are
four types of entities allowed to authorize charter schools: the
local school board, state universities, community colleges, and the
state board of education.
Are students in charter schools being well
educated?
Research shows charter schools do a better job increasing
student achievement than traditional public schools. Charter
schools are typically approved for periods from 3-5 years. At
the end of the term, the entity granting the charter may renew the
school's contract. Charter schools are accountable to their
sponsor, usually a state or local school board, to produce positive
academic results and adhere to the charter contract. The
basic concept of charter schools is that they exercise increased
autonomy in return for this accountability. They are
accountable for both academic results and fiscal practices to
several groups: the sponsor that grants them, the parents who
choose them, and the public that funds them.
Charter schools are held accountable for the performance of
their students on statewide standard tests and are ranked according
to the Academic Performance Index (API). Charter school
students must also make adequate yearly progress (AYP), based on
test scores, under the federal No Child Left Behind Act
(NCLB).