Understanding Charter Schools
Understanding Charter Schools
What is a charter school?
Charter schools are independent, tuition-free public schools that are able to be more autonomous in exchange for agreeing to be held accountable for student achievement. Like traditional schools, charter schools were created by states to serve the public. Charter schools are supervised and directed by as well as accountable to the public through charter authorizing agencies, according to federal regulations under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
How are charter public schools accountable?
Charter public schools are directly accountable for high academic standards to a sponsor and the State of Missouri, as well as parents and the public at large.
A charter public school must have a sponsor in order to open and continue operating (in Missouri, sponsors are typically colleges and universities). A Missouri charter school is accountable to its sponsor for specific academic and non-academic outcomes outlined in the school “charter” (or contract). Charter schools are also accountable to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and are subject to the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
Can my child attend a charter public school?
Charter public schools are open to all children and they are committed to serving a student body that reflects the local community. Under current Missouri law, charter public schools are allowed to operate in the St. Louis City and Kansas City School Districts, and other districts (see SB576, Sec.160.400). As such, they can only enroll students eligible for public schooling in those districts.
Charter public schools do not charge tuition, do not have entrance requirements, and welcome all resident students to apply. If more students apply to a charter school than there are seats available, the school holds a public lottery to choose which students will be admitted.
How do charter public schools get started?
Groups – usually comprised of teachers, parents, and community members – submit applications to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) for approval to open and operate a charter public school. An applicant school must have a sponsor and a contract (or “charter”) with that sponsoring entity outlining the school’s academic, non-academic, and operating outcomes. Application materials are submitted to DESE for review and the Missouri State Board of Education makes a decision on whether or not an applicant group’s “charter” will be approved.
The selection process by sponsors and DESE is essential to having a truly beneficial and sustainable charter public school sector. Applicant groups mustpresent strong school governance models with necessary board member skill sets, a comprehensive business plan demonstrating a high level of fiduciary and operational acumen, and an academic program either filling an educational void or introducing an innovative model not currently offered to public school students.
More information about charter public schools is available at:
- Missouri Charter Public School Association:
- National Alliance for Public Charter Schools: