What are charter schools?
A charter school is a type of public school. Charter schools receive public funding based on the number of enrolled students and are held accountable to certain pre-determined goals and objectives as outlined in the school charter. A charter is a contract between the school and the authorizer which summarizes the school’s mission, goals, and accountability requirements. In exchange for this increased accountability, charter schools typically have greater autonomy than traditional public schools and are free to design unique school plans and educate students in innovative ways.
Charter schools come in many shapes and sizes. Many are small and have a specific focus on math and science or the arts, for example. Others are large, serving over 1,000 students and providing a more general curriculum. On average, charter schools enroll a greater proportion of minority students (61%) than traditional public schools (50%). Also charter schools tend to serve a greater percentage of poor students than traditional public schools, as measured by the percent of students who qualify for the federal free/reduced lunch program.
