Charter Schools

Charter schools are independent, public schools, started and operated by teachers, parents, or community members. In essence, they are privately managed and publicly funded schools.

Characteristics of Charter Schools:

• Operated independently from the school district in which they are located
• Incorporated as 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations
• Funded primarily by general education revenues with start-up funding in the first three years provided by the Federal Government
• Located in leased facilities, funded in large measure by Lease Aid, a state program that provides per pupil funding to compensate for the fact that charter schools cannot own property, levy taxes, or issue bonds
• Open to all who apply, except if the school is over-subscribed, in which case a lottery is held for all of the students who applied before the deadline. Once a student is enrolled, siblings are given preference in admission.
• Free of charge
• Sponsored by a school district, an institution of higher learning, or a nonprofit organization
• Accountable for academic and non-academic outcomes to the state and to the sponsor
• Reviewed every three years by the state to determine whether the charter will be renewed
• Governed by a board of trustees made up of parents, teachers, and community members elected by the school community
• Led by a director who does not require state licensure
• Staffed by teachers who have appropriate state licensure
• Key Charter School Facts:
  The charter school movement started in St. Paul in 1991 with City Academy.
  There are now approximately 153 charter schools in the state - over half are in the Twin Cities metro area. Minnesota charter schools serve over 28,000 students.
  Despite media attention on the schools that have failed, the vast majority of charter schools are succeeding.
  There are over 3,000 charter schools nationwide.
  Transportation must be provided by the school district in which the school is located for students who live in the school district in which the school is located.

For more information on charter schools:

Minnesota Association of Charter Schools
351 East Kellogg Boulevard
St. Paul, MN 55101
Tel: 651-789-3090

Minnesota Department of Education
Division of Choice and Innovation
1500 Highway 36 West
Roseville, Minnesota 55113-4266
Tel: 651-582-8616