Charter schools A charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the established state school system in which it is located. It is independent in the sense that it operates according to the basic principle of autono ...

North Carolina North Carolina () is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 28th largest and List of states and territories of the United ...

are public schools operating under a different set of rules than the typical state-run schools. Though they are exempt from many requirements, charter schools are required to administer state standardized tests.

History

North Carolina Charter schools were established by

North Carolina House Bill 955 North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''north' ...

in 1996, also known as the Charter School Act. Charter schools were established in an effort to improve the academic chances and performance of those that were at-risk and those that were academically gifted, but all students eligible for public school are eligible to apply to a charter school. The Act allowed an organization or person could apply to start a charter school. Approved schools are state-funded but managed by a community board instead of a school board. there is a state cap of 100 charter schools total, but the new Republican majority in the

North Carolina General Assembly The North Carolina General Assembly is the bicameral legislature of the State government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The General Assembly meets in the North Caroli ...

has started a movement to lift the cap. In January, 2011, the

National Alliance for Public Charter Schools The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is a non-profit trade association serving the charter school industry. NAPCS advocates for all charter schools including those that contract with charter management organizations and education mana ...

ranked North Carolina's charter school law 32 out of 41 states with charter school laws, with poor marks for accountability, equity of funding, and the low cap of 100 schools in the state.

Differences between County Schools and Public Charter Schools

Charter schools are: * not required to provide transportation for students, although many do have transportation options * not required to provide breakfast or lunch for students, although many do provide for students who qualify for free & reduced price lunches * allowed to serve students from other counties. * allowed to craft a schedule and calendar that fits the needs of the families and students they serve, apart from the traditional 180-day school calendar. * allowed to have non-certified teachers. * allowed to employ teachers on short-term contracts.

References

Public education in North Carolina {{NorthCarolina-school-stub