As of November 2004, 40 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico had enacted charter school legislation. As of September 2006, there were about 4,000 charter schools across the country. Charter school laws often vary from state to state, and often differ on several important factors, including who is allowed to sponsor charter schools, how much money charter schools receive for operational and facilities expenses and whether the teachers in a charter school have to be certified. Several recent studies have examined the impact of charter schools on students, schools and school districts. While it is difficult to draw any definitive conclusions on the impact of charter schools, these studies shed light on who is attending charter schools, how charter schools operate and how school districts are reacting to, and interacting with, charter schools. As the charter school movement matures, the relationship between charter schools and student achievement will receive heightened scrutiny, and what is learned will significantly impact the future of the movement.
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Charter schools are semi-autonomous public schools, founded by educators, parents, community groups or private organizations that operate under a written contract with a state, district or other entity. This contract, or charter, details how the school will be organized and managed, what students will be taught and expected to achieve, and how success will be measured. Many charter schools enjoy freedom from rules and regulations affecting other public schools, as long as they continue to meet the terms of their charters. Charter schools can be closed for failing to satisfy these terms.
