tuition-free public schools that are open to all students

Charter schools serve as engines of innovation across the state. They pilot new instructional strategies, evaluate their impact, and share successful practices that can be replicated statewide. This continuous cycle of creativity and improvement strengthens the state's public school ecosystem.

The charter governance structure itself is an innovation. By giving schools independence from political and bureaucratic barriers, while holding them accountable for results, the model empowers educators to deliver outstanding outcomes for students.

This autonomy allows charter leaders to build cohesive teams and strong cultures. It also enables them to match teachers to instructional models and student needs, while holding staff accountable for results.

Charter schools also give teachers room to innovate. Educators are empowered to design instructional strategies, collaborate across grade levels, and tailor learning to their students, all within a supportive environment focused on outcomes rather than bureaucracy. This flexibility strengthens recruitment, elevates teaching, and helps ensure that every student benefits from committed, skilled professionals.

When applications exceed available seats, schools use a fair, publicly-guided lottery system to determine admissions, ensuring every child has an equal opportunity to attend. This approach reflects the autonomy charter schools have to design mission-driven educational models while remaining open to the entire community. Enrollment flexibility allows charters to offer unique programs that meet local needs, giving families high-quality public school options across the state.

Authorizers are typically public agencies, such as local school districts or state departments of education. They approve, oversee, renew or close charter schools based on academic, financial and operational performance.

Margins are particularly high for low-income and minority subgroups. Underperforming charter schools also face closure each year if they fail to meet strict accountability standards. Traditional public schools face far fewer consequences for poor results. Charter students must also take the same tests as students in traditional public schools.

If a public charter school is not improving student achievement as laid out in its foundational charter agreement, their authorizer has the power to work to immediately fix the schools or close them, faster than other schools. This is not the case for traditional public schools, where failing schools often undergo school improvement and turnaround measures for years, while generations of children continue to receive a subpar education.

Despite these disparities, charter schools are held to the same accountability standards as district schools and are expected to deliver exceptional results. This funding gap underscores the need for equitable support for all public schools so that every child, regardless of which public school they attend, has access to high-quality education.

This funding discrepancy highlights a systemic inequity: charter schools are expected to achieve high outcomes for students while operating with fewer public resources. At the same time, it demonstrates how charter leaders maximize every dollar to provide innovative, high-quality learning environments.

This accountability framework ensures that funding is tied to results and reinforces the public nature of charter schools. It also demonstrates that autonomy, paired with responsibility, allows charter schools to innovate and respond directly to the needs of their students while remaining fully accountable to families, authorizers, and the state.