In December 1998, the New York State Charter Schools Act (Education Law § 2850-2857) allowed the creation of independent public schools, operating based on the terms of a five-year performance contract or "charter." The law states that “[a]n application to establish a charter school may be submitted by teachers, parents, school administrators, community residents or any combination thereof. Such applications may be filed in conjunction with a college, university, museum, educational institution, not-for-profit corporation exempt from taxation under paragraph 3 of subsection (c) of section 501 of the internal revenue code or for-profit business or corporate entity authorized to do business in New York state. For charter schools established in conjunction with a for-profit business or corporate entity, the charter shall specify the extent of the entity’s participation in the management and operation of the school.”

By giving educators more autonomy and evaluating schools by their student achievements, charter schools provide an innovative solution to achieve, among other things, the following educational goals:

• Increase the learning opportunities and scholastic achievement for all students, especially those at-risk of academic failure
• Encourage the use of different and innovative teaching methods
• Provide parents and students more educational choices within the public school system
• Create new opportunities for motivated teachers, school administrators and personnel

At the same time, charter schools are held accountable for meeting specific student performance goals and a charter may be revoked or not renewed if results are not attained. In return, charter schools are exempt from many public school regulations for curriculum development, staffing and budgeting.

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. In addition, charter schools must accept all students and cannot discriminate in their admission policy.

Each charter school receives state funding for each student it educates. For the 2008-2009 school year, the per pupil allocation (PPA) for charter schools in New York State is $12,432. In addition to the PPA, several state and federal grants are available, and charter schools are welcome to fundraise from private sources as well. Charter schools do not receive any city, state, or federal funding for facilities.

The New York Charter Schools Act of 1998 contains several general education reforms as a result of the 2007-08 New York State Budget.

• Click here for the New York Charter Schools Act
• Click here for the 2007-08 New York State Education Reform Initiatives
• Click here for frequently asked questions about charter schools