The New York State Charter Schools Act (Education Law § 2850-2857) was passed in December 1998, allowing for the creation of autonomous public schools. Charter schools operate based on the terms of a five-year performance contract or "charter." Charter schools are exempt from many public school regulations for curriculum development, staffing and budgeting; at the same time, they are held accountable for students’ academic performance and specific goals set forth in their charter. If charter schools fail to meet any of these, they risk having their charter revoked or not renewed.
But, like all public schools, charter schools must meet state standards and Regents requirements, as well as state and federal laws regarding health, safety, civil rights and student assessment. Also, charter schools are open all students and cannot discriminate in their admissions process. Often there are more interested students than available slots, in which case charter schools must by law choose students through a random lottery.
While charters are publicly funded by tax dollars, they do not receive any funding for facilities. In New York City, many of the charter schools share space with traditional public schools.
There are three bodies that are authorized to give charters:
Find a Charter School
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Charter School Landscape
Click on the links below for more information about the charter school movement both city and nation-wide.