WHAT IS A CHARTER SCHOOL?
From Public Law 107-110:
the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002
Sec.5210 Definitions:
“(1) CHARTER SCHOOL. –The term ‘charter school’ means a public
school that—
“(A) in accordance with a specific State statute authorizing the
granting of charters to schools, is exempt from significant
State or local rules that inhibit the flexible operation and management
of public schools, but not from any rules relating to the other
requirements of this paragraph;
“(B) is created by a developer as a public
school, or is adapted
by a developer from an existing public school, and is operated
under public supervision and direction;
“(C) operates in pursuit of a specific set of educational objectives
determined by the school’s developer and agreed to by the authorized
public chartering agency;
“(D) provides a program of elementary or secondary education,
or both;
“(E) is nonsectarian in its programs, admissions policies, employment
practices, and all other operations, and is not affiliated with
a sectarian school or religious institution;
“(F) does not charge tuition;
“(G) complies with the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, title VI
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, title IX of the Education Amendments
of 1972, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and part
B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act;
“(H) is a school to which
parents choose to send their children, and that admits students
on the basis of a lottery if more students
apply for admission than can be accommodated;
“(I) agrees to comply with
the same Federal and State audit requirements as do other elementary
schools and secondary schools in the State,
unless such requirements are specifically waived for the purpose
of this program;
“(J) meets all applicable Federal, State, and local health and
safety requirements;
“(K) operates in accordance with State law,
“L) has a written performance
contract with the authorized public chartering agency in the
State that includes a description of how
student performance will be measured in charter schools pursuant
to State assessments that are required of other schools and pursuant
to any other assessments mutually agreeable to the authorized public
chartering agency and the charter school.
