Charter School Laws

Public charter schools are creatures of state law. Before charter schools, according to charter pioneer Ted Kolderie, only local school boards could start public schools. With a charter law, the state says it's fine for somebody other than the local school board to run a public school, sponsored if necessary by some public body other than the local school board.

Charter laws address a wide variety of issues, such as who can apply to start a school, what entities can approve charter applications, and how charter schools are funded. Other important areas of state law include what rules are waived for charters, whether charter teachers must be certified, and how charter schools are held accountable.

There is emerging consensus that a high-quality charter law contains certain provisions. For instance, it allows a wide range of public and private individuals and organizations to apply for charters. In another example, such laws permit a variety of entities to approve charter applications – including local school boards, state boards of education, independent special purpose chartering boards, and state boards of education. As a final example, high-quality charter laws fund public charter schools at equitable levels to non-charter public schools – for both operational and facilities costs.

Visit the Online Charter School Database and Compare Charter School Policies