Charter schools are a vital and growing part of California's public education system, offering families more choices while maintaining high standards of accountability. If you're exploring educational options for your child, here's a clear overview of what charter schools are, how they work, and why they matter.
What Is a Charter School?
A charter school is a tuition-free public school that operates with greater flexibility than traditional public schools. In California, charter schools provide instruction in any combination of grades from transitional kindergarten through grade 12. They are established through a charter (a detailed agreement or petition) approved by an authorizing entity, such as a local school district, county office of education, or, in some cases, the state.
This flexibility allows charter schools to innovate with unique teaching methods, specialized curricula, smaller class sizes, a focus on specific subjects (such as STEM, arts, or career-technical education), or alternative learning models (such as project-based or independent study). In exchange for this autonomy from many state regulations, charter schools are held to higher accountability; they must demonstrate strong student performance and measurable outcomes, or risk non-renewal or closure.
Key characteristics include:
- Public and tuition-free - No cost to attend, funded by public dollars.
- Open to all students - No selective admissions; if demand exceeds spots, enrollment is determined by a public random lottery.
- Nonsectarian (non-religious) and nondiscriminatory - Cannot discriminate based on protected characteristics.
- Independent operation - Governed by their own board (often including parents, teachers, and community members), separate from the traditional school district structure.
The California Legislature established charter schools (via the 1992 Charter Schools Act) to achieve important goals, including:
- Improving pupil learning
- Increasing opportunities, especially for low-achieving students
- Encouraging innovative teaching
- Providing more choices for parents and students
- Holding schools accountable through performance rather than rules
- Fostering competition to improve all public schools