FAQ's About Charter Schools

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 Senator Gary K. Hart. There are now 40 states, plus Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, and Washington, D.C., with charter schools.

The charter school reform concept is part of a larger policy effort to fundamentally alter the structure of the public education system in an effort to (1) provide quality public education choices for families, (2) enable change-oriented educators to establish and operate new, innovative schools, and (3) provide increased competition within the public education sector. It's the competitive aspect of the charter concept that makes it controversial and also powerful. The charter school reform concept was largely developed by Ted Kolderie, a public policy expert at the Center for Policy Studies in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Charter school funding varies from state to state. In California, charter schools receive state and local funding in a per student allotment. This allotment is based on statewide averages, dependent on the grade level of the students. Many charter schools also receive state and federal funding through categorical programs like Title I or class size reduction. In addition, many charter schools apply for and receive funds from the federal charter schools grant program administered by the California Department of Education. Several charter schools also receive contributions from individuals and private foundations to support their operations. As public schools, charter schools are not allowed to charge tuition.