Three Facts You Didn’t Know About Charter Schools

Across the United States, students are getting ready for school. What you may not know is that, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), more than 2.8 million students attended charter schools in 2015–16, accounting for 6% of all public school students. Charter school enrollment has only grown since then, with 3.3 million students attending one in 2019 and now accounting for 7% of all public school students. The rise in popularity of attending a charter high school can be due to any number of reasons, but listed here are three important facts about charter schools that you probably didn’t know.

The Enrollment Process is Different

Many people believe that a charter school’s student enrollment process is much like a private school’s. However, that is far from the case. Charter schools are free and publicly funded schools that must have open admission policies that do not discriminate based on race, gender, religion, skin color, or disability. Unlike private schools, which are allowed to reject a student’s enrollment for any number of reasons, charter schools have an open admissions policy that typically relies on a lottery system in order to gain enrollment.

A Charter High School is More Affordable

Charter schools offer a more affordable option than private education because they get their funds from public sources. In other words, there is zero tuition charged to send a student to a charter high school, though there may be fees associated with extra-curricular events, just like in a regular public school environment.

The Curriculum Standards Are Determined By a Charter

Unlike a state public school whose policies, curriculum, testing, and many of the procedural standards are largely created by the district and state, charter schools are governed under the conditions of a legally binding contract called a charter. A school’s charter typically exempts them from certain state and district regulations, but in exchange for this, the school is bound to the terms laid out in their charters. If the school fails to meet the terms of their charter, that school risks being closed. Thus, just because a student chooses to attend a charter high school, does not mean that the curriculum at the charter school won’t be just as rigorous, or more so!

Enrolling in a charter high school may be the right option for your high school student. There are many possible benefits to attending a charter school, and if you have any questions about our charter schools in Tuscon, AZ, make sure to get in contact with our school today.