Is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the local or state school system. Charter schools tend to have some flexibility when it comes to state regulations; they may not have to follow all regulations required of traditional schools in the state. Most states have student performance expectations that charter schools are required to meet to maintain the charter. Charter schools share other characteristics: they don’t require an assessment to gain admission, they are nonsectarian, financial support is in line with student quantity, and existing public schools can adapt to become charter schools.

In 1991, Minnesota became the first state to establish legislation that supported charter schools. While most states have legislation to guide the establishment of charter schools, no charter school legislation exists in Alabama, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia. Even among states that have charter school laws, the number of charters available among the states differs. Other restrictions regarding the types of charter schools may also exist. For example, some states will not extend charters to virtual charter schools. Still, charter schools currently represent one of the most popular school choice models, with over 4,000 schools nation-wide. Charter schools are the most viable rival to the public school model today.

Charter school models differ from traditional schools within the district, although in many states the district has authority over the charter school. Because charter school initiatives haven’t occurred in all states, it’s difficult to generalize or standardize the entire charter school movement. So charter schools must be discussed in the context of a state and local school district. And although some states introduced strong charter legislation, facilitating more autonomy, legislation in other states was weaker and resulted in less autonomy. “Strong” charter legislation refers to significant levels of charter school self-governance, subject only to appraisals and legalities. “Weak” charter legislation describes situations where school boards have significant control throughout the chartering process.

There are also funding implications about a school’s being under strong or weak charter legislation. Charter schools in states with strong charter legislation receive state money, regardless of the group wishing to establish a charter school (e.g., parents, community organization, or a religious group). In contrast, a school established under weak charter legislation must be approved by a local school district, which may not be motivated to support a school that differs drastically from traditional schools in the district.