Charter School

Definition

In the United States and other countries, a charter school is a publicly funded but privately run school. These schools differ from traditional public schools because their existence is contingent upon meeting certain outcomes. When granted a charter, the school sets certain student achievement goals that must be met at the time of charter renewal. The charters are renewed every 3–5 years, depending on the district or state. School leaders at charters have increased autonomy to meet these goals. When the number of applicants for a charter school exceeds available seats, students are admitted based on a lottery.

Charter schools can be primary or secondary schools. They do not charge admission and typically are exempt from some requirements of public (state-run) schools. Students in these schools do participate in state-mandated testing. An increasing number of such schools serve children with special needs including autism.