GENERAL CHARTER SCHOOL QUESTIONS
  1. What is a "charter school" and what is the purpose of it?
    2.
    A charter school is a public school that is organized by a group of teachers, community members, parents, or others and sponsored by an existing public school board or a county office of education. Charter schools are open to all students and do not charge tuition. Funding is provided through state and local revenues. They operate more independently than traditional public schools do, and are held accountable for both their student academic performance and fiscal practice. The specific goals and operating procedures for the charter school are spelled out in the charter document – the legal agreement between the charter granting board and the organizers. The Morgan Hill Unified School District's Board of Trustees unanimously approved our charter in January.
  2. What is the relationship between the charter school and the school district?
    3.

    The legislature has declared that charter schools are part of the Public School System and the exclusive control of the officers of the public schools. Such officers could be members of an existing school governing board, a county board of education, or the State Board of Education. When a charter petition is granted by one or more of these agencies, the school may no longer be subject to the daily operational supervision of the agencies; nevertheless, the charter granting agency retains the power to revoke the charter at any time for specified reasons. This power implies a responsibility by the charter granting agency to oversee and monitor the charter school in at least those areas specified as grounds for revocation.

    A charter school operates outside of the existing district structure except to the extent that the charter document includes that structure. For example, a charter school might opt to contract with the district for services such as insurance, special education, maintenance, payroll, etc.

  3. For how long may the charter be granted?
    4.

    The charter may be granted for no more than five years. The charter may then be renewed for an unspecified number of additional five-year periods.
  4. What is the residency requirement for a charter school?
    A student must be a resident of the State of California. A charter school may not restrict its enrollment on the basis of the residency of the pupil’s parents. This also means that students wishing to attend a charter school do not have to request an interdistrict transfer.
  5. Are teachers required to be credentialed?
    Core subject teachers are required to hold a Commission on Teacher Credentialing certificate, permit, or other document equivalent to that which a teacher in other public schools would be required to hold.
  1. Does a charter school have to teach the state’s core curriculum?
    2.

    Rather than requiring a curriculum, the law requires accountability for student learning across all major subject areas. Specifically, a charter school must meet the statewide performance standards and administer the state exams required under the Education Code as part of its assessment systems.

    (Section 60602.5. – refers to the new statewide assessment program that is currently under development.)
  2. What funding does a charter school receive?
    3.

    Once a charter school is operational, it is entitled to funding similar to that of other public schools. For example, it will receive monthly funding based on the Average Daily Attendance (ADA). The majority of these funds are unrestricted and may be used for any school purpose (e.g. textbooks, buildings, salaries, administration, etc.). Charter schools may also receive funding from the state lottery and are eligible for Special Education funding, but these types of funds do have spending conditions associated with them. Funds needed prior to the school’s opening ("start-up funds") must be raised by the school’s organizers. There are a variety of sources: private and corporate grants and donations, state and federal grants and state loans.
  3. What about special needs children?
    4.

    As a public school, charter schools must serve all children who require special education services. If a student is thought or known to be in need of special education services, the school has a responsibility to assess needs, and develop and implement an individualized education program (IEP).
  4. How much tuition can charter schools charge?
    5.

    A charter school is a public school. It is open to all students and cannot charge tuition.
  5. What flexibility is available to charter schools? Are they exempt from Federal regulations and requirements?
    6.

    Charter schools are exempt from statewide laws governing school districts. Federal laws and regulations still apply. Charter schools are not exempt from the provisions of the Constitution of the State of California. Finally, there is no exemption from laws that apply specifically to individuals.
  6. Don’t charter schools take money away from the district or public education system?

    7. Since a charter school is a public school the state and federal funds available for a student’s education follow the student to the charter school. If students are drawn from the granting district’s schools, then the district’s ADA count is affected. However, the net effect on money available to the public schools is neutral. Students drawn to charter schools from private schools, or schools in other districts, bring public funds to charter schools that were unavailable to the charter school’s granting district.

  7. What about facilities?
    8.

    A charter school can operate in a wide variety of facilities options: leased commercial space, build-to-suit school on purchased or donated land, portable buildings, or a joint-use space shared with a church or in a community building. While charter schools are subject to local zoning ordinances and building codes which may include, but are not limited to, seismic and fire safety, handicap access, etc., they are not required to comply with the most stringent regulations that regular public schools are.

  8. Are teachers required by law to be affiliated with the local Teacher’s Union?
    9.

    No, they are not.

  9. Must charter schools develop a School Accountability Report Card?
    10.

    Yes. However, the specific content and format of such a report card, as specified in state and district, do not apply to charter schools. Charter schools are, therefore, free to develop a report card which reflects their local accountability needs.
  10. Does a charter school need to be accredited?
    There is no requirement that a charter school be accredited. If a school and its community determined that this was an important issue, a charter school could apply for accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).