Q: What are charter schools?
A: They are independently run public schools that use public school money, but do not answer directly to the local school board or superintendent.In return for their autonomy, they must meet the goals of their charter, which is a sort of contract. If they fail to measure up, they could be forced to close. Like any school, they must adhere to all anti-discrimination and school safety laws.
Q: Where are the existing charter schools, and how many are there?
A: The oldest existing charter school is in Minnesota. It opened in 1991. Now 20 states have charter school laws, more than half of them coming in the last two years. More than 230 charter schools were open in late 1995. The average size is about 287 students.
Q: What are the advantages of charter schools?
A: The big advantage is that the schools operate without the bureaucratic constraints of traditional public schools. They are free to devise a curriculum, order books and supplies and arrange staff as they see fit. Also, because parents choose the schools, they tend to become more involved. Proponents say these arrangements will spur innovation.
Q: What are the disadvantages?
A: Most operate on shoestring budgets and face financial uncertainty. Because of the autonomy, there is no uniformity regarding class size, teacher qualifications, classroom materials, etc. Critics say they are risky experiments that might harm students.
Q: Where do the schools come from?
A: Some were traditional public schools that converted to charter schools. Some were private schools that converted. Many have been "start ups" - groups of parents or educators who banded together to start their own school.
Q: Who approves the schools?
A: Some states give charters the option of going to local school authorities or to a state board. When given the option, groups tend to go straight to the state and skip the local school district.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)