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Fast Facts About Charter Schools

What is a Charter School?
Charter schools are public schools that have been created by a group of parents, teachers or community leaders who have seen an educational need in their community and want to meet that need.  In order to operate, charter founders must submit an application and have it approved by the State Charter School Board or the Board of a school district.  Like other public schools, charter schools have kids from kindergarten through 12th grade.  In Utah, most public charter schools operate independently of a school district.

How many charter schools are there in Utah and the U.S.?
As of the 2008-2009 school year, there are 66 public charter schools operating in Utah serving nearly 28,000 students. Nationally, there are over 4,600 charter schools educating over 1.4 million children." 

What is the purpose of charter schools?
Charters schools offer parents and kids additional choices about where they attend school and the curriculum emphasis.  Charter schools give educators the freedom to try new strategies to inspire student achievement and the freedom to experiment with new and innovative ways of educating students, as long as state standards continue to be met.  Moreover, charter schools allow individuals and organizations outside of the mainstream educational establishment to create and run public schools.

Are charter school private schools?
No.  Charter schools are public schools.  They must function like every other public school in Utah - they must meet all of the same standards and comply with all of the same laws.

Can charter schools teach religion?
No.  Like all other public schools in Utah, their programs cannot be affiliated with or restricted to a particular religion.  The curriculum, admission policies and employment practices must all be nonsectarian.

Do charter schools charge students tuition to attend?
No.  Just like Utah's other public schools, charter schools are funded by taxpayers and therefore, they are free to students and their parents.  They do not charge tuition.  Like all Utah public schools, charter schools may charge some fees to secondary (7th-12th grades) students.  Like all public schools, charter schools cannot discriminate against any student based on economic status, religion, race, disability, gender or national origin.

Do I have to live within a certain area to attend a charter school?
No.  Charter schools do not have boundaries.  Any Utah student may attend any charter school.  If student applications exceed a charter school's maximum enrollment, then the school must conduct a lottery to determine the students who may enroll.  Most charter schools do not have bus fleets that transport students to and from their schools so parents are responsible for transportation at almost every charter school in Utah.

Are teachers certified?
Yes.  Charter school teachers are under the same licensing requirements as the teachers at every other public school in Utah.

Do charter schools teach the state's Core Curriculum?
Yes.  Utah's public charter schools must teach the state's Core Curriculum, just like every other public school in Utah.

Are the students at charter schools assessed for academic performance?
Yes.  Students attending public charter schools must participate in the same testing as all public school students.  Results are published by the Utah State Office of Education and available from individual charter school administrators.

Do all charter schools have a special "focus"?
No. There are a handful of charter schools in Utah that do have a particular focus, such as performing arts or math-engineering-science, but not all of them.  However, ALL charter schools are focused on the academic achievement of their students.  That is their primary purpose according to state and federal laws and guidelines.  Like all public schools, improving student academic achievement is at the heart of every charter school in Utah.

Do all charter schools require uniforms?
Like traditional public schools, some do and some do not.  Almost all charter schools, like other public schools, have dress codes.

Why are these public schools called "charter schools"?
Founders, those who start charter schools, set forth their goals and operating procedures in a contract that is reached with either their local school district or the State Board of Education.  This contract is called a "charter."  If a particular school is not living up to its charter or is not meeting state standards, the state can revoke that school's charter and close the school.

Who pays to operate charter schools in Utah?
As mentioned earlier, Utah citizens pay to operate Utah's public charter schools, through their taxes.  Charter schools receive state funding, just like your neighborhood district schools.  Most charter schools receive some federal start-up funding for the first three years.

How are charter schools governed?

Charter schools have their own boards of directors and most operate independently of local school districts.  Utah's Board of Education and the State Charter School Board have oversight responsibility for charter schools and annually review the progress of every charter school.

How can I get my child(ren) enrolled in a charter school?
Often, there are more kids who want to attend charter schools in Utah than there are seats.  So students enroll through a lottery system according to state law and federal funding guidelines.  Parents fill out an application for enrollment at their preferred charter school and their child is entered into a lottery, from which the allotted seats are randomly filled.