What is a Charter School? Everything You Need to Know

Over the years as a California resident, you may have heard the term California charter schools floating around the education world. Charter schools have sprung up in popularity among communities around the country, especially in west coast states like California. California charter schools are some of the best in the country, but many parents are confused about the difference between charter, private and public schools. 

There are some specific things that separate the institutions, some subtle and some more obvious. For parents or educators unsure about the differences, we put together a brief guide to help explain the major defining factors of a charter school. This should be enough to demystify these institutions and provide clarity for parents interested in California charter schools. 

Defining a Charter School 

Charter schools are essentially an alternative to public school options. They are tuition free, which makes them attractive for a wide range of potential families. The important detail about charter schools is that they are independently run from the state. They still have to meet rigorous curriculum requirements, but they offer a wider range of flexibility to develop learning methods on their own accord. Charter schools have a great deal more freedom and flexibility than public schools which are often known for their red tape and complicated bureaucracy. These schools are often operated by groups of educators, parents and public figures. 

How Are They Funded? 

In most cases, charter schools are funded under the same guidelines and principles that public schools are. Funding is enrollment based, so that means for every student transferring from a public school or enrolling in a charter school earns more money for that school. That’s the situation in California, but these guidelines can differ drastically from state to state. And while charter schools do receive public funding, they also rely on private funding. In some cases this can come from parents and community members or from fundraising by the administration.

Difference From Public Schools 

This begs the question: how are they actually different from public schools? This comes down to the organizations that oversee the operations and curricular practices of the school. With public schools, educators, principals and administrators are answering to massive districts. Charter schools essentially create their own districts within the community. This is what allows such drastic differences between the curriculum flexibility in public vs. charter. 

Benefits of Choosing a Charter 

California charter schools are becoming some of the strongest schools in the state offering much more in the way of arts, sciences, and extracurricular opportunities for students. Because charter schools have more flexibility in the teachers they hire, the educational framework they set and the classes they offer, students will benefit from having access to more resources and more carefully thought out learning plans for individual students. Without the hand of big districts, students stand to receive more individual attention and get what they need from their school. 

Charter schools, contrary to popular belief, undergo much more scrutiny than public schools do. This is the trade off for having more flexibility to implement alternative learning frameworks; there must be a higher sense of accountability among faculty and staff to ensure goals are being met and values are being reflected to the students. 

Different State Laws 

As stated above, different states have different ways of regulating and holding accountability to charter schools. This can affect the way they receive funding, the curriculum design and the faculty they hire to teach and work at their school. And some states don’t allow charter schools at all. While public schools and charter schools fight for some of the public funding, they are an answer to a series of systemic problems in public schools. A big one being a lack of personal learning options for students who may need alternative pathways or alternative frameworks to learn at their higher capacity. Most states do allow charter schools, with roughly 45 including the District of Columbia, but still a handful that do not. 

Conclusion

In essence, California charter schools are public schools. They are just run by independent organizations made of educators, parents and community members rather than massive school districts overseeing hundreds of schools. Charter schools still have Superintendents, but these representatives are elected by and serve the community directly. Because they are independently run, they are often held to higher regulatory standards to receive state funding. This is the trade off for more flexible learning frameworks and ultimately offers more security among parents whose students attend charter schools. There are more direct channels of communication to staff and teachers, something that many parents appreciate. Their specific funding can vary from state to state, but all are publicly funded, tuition free options for students to receive quality education in their community.