Charter schools are free, public schools designed by teachers, parents, and community leaders who are looking for alternatives to traditional schools. Charters operate with some independence from the county school board, which gives them room for greater flexibility and creativity in designing the school structure and curriculum.
Charter schools offer parents the freedom to choose the kind of education they want for their children.
There are approximately 4,000 charter schools across the U.S., attended by more than 1 million children. For more information about the charter school movement see the Center for Education Reform.