What is a Charter School?

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A charter school is a tuition-free public school that is open to all students. Charter schools require no special requirements for enrollment and offer families school choice. Although charter schools are independently operated, they adhere to all the same laws and regulations that conventional public schools follow. Charter schools also offer more flexibility to their approach to education; however, they are held to higher standards for academics, fiscal and managerial accountability than their public school counterparts.

 

Charter schools operate under a contract with a charter school authorizer, such as SUNY Trustees, Board of Regents, or a local school district. Similar to public schools, charter schools are primarily state-funded and may also receive funding from federal or foundational grants. However, charter schools such as Buffalo Commons typically receive less public funding than neighboring school districts. 

 

Please visit NYSED to learn more about Charter Schools.

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