More than 397,000 students attend a public charter school in Florida—that’s 14% of the state’s total K-12 public school population. If charter schools were a district, they would be Florida’s second-largest school district.
What is a charter school?
Charter schools are tuition-free, non-profit public schools and open to all students.
Charter schools were created more than 30 years ago to improve our nation’s public school system and close the achievement gap. They are unique public schools that have the freedom to be more innovative while being held strictly accountable for improving student achievement. As a result, charter schools raise the bar for what is possible in public education. Charter schools foster a partnership between parents, teachers, and students to create an environment where parents can be more involved, teachers can be innovative in their classrooms to help improve learning, and students are provided the structure they need to learn. This holds all groups accountable for the most important goal: improving student achievement.
Are charter schools public schools?
Yes. “All charter schools in Florida are public schools and shall be part of the state’s program of public education” (Florida Statute 1002.33). Therefore, the students who attend a charter school are public school students, and their teachers are public school teachers.
Who oversees charter schools public schools?
An independent volunteer board governs a charter school, which allows it to be hyper-responsive to the needs of students and families enrolled in it. The sponsoring school district provides additional oversight. Charter schools operate under contracts or “charters” with the sponsoring school district — and must follow certain district mandates outlined in their contract. A district may close a charter school for failing to reach specific academic and/or financial benchmarks.
How long have charter schools been operating in Florida?
The first charter school opened in Florida in 1996. Since then, charter schools have grown to meet parental demand for a high-quality education choice program.
Who can attend a charter school?
Charter schools are open to all students.
However, by state statute, they are permitted to target students within specific age groups or grade levels, students considered at risk of dropping out or failing, students wishing to enroll in a charter school in the workplace or a charter school in a municipality, students residing within a reasonable distance of the school, or students articulating from one charter school to another.
Do charter school students take state assessment exams?
Yes. Just like students attending a district-run public school, charter school students must take state assessments/exams and meet federal academic standards.
Are charter schools graded?
Yes. The Florida Department of Education evaluates and assigns charter schools a school grade using the same standards and criteria as district-run public schools.
Do charter schools hire state-certified teachers?
Yes. Both district-run and charter schools follow state guidelines.
Are charter schools permitted to hire for-profit vendors?
Like school districts, charter schools can contract with for-profit entities to perform various tasks, such as payroll, professional development, facilities maintenance, etc.
How is charter school success measured?
Charter schools are accountable for both academic results and fiscal practices. They are accountable to the state, authorizing school district, the parents who choose them, the students they serve, and the public that funds them.
Are charter schools making a difference?
Yes! A 2019 report released by the Florida Department of Education shows that public charter schools are helping students achieve academically. In many cases, charter school students are outperforming students attending district-run public schools. Charter schools also empower parents to be active participants in their child’s education. Click here to see that report.
What is a School of Excellence?
The School of Excellence program was established in 2017 by the Florida Legislature. It gives the state’s top-performing schools and administrators extra flexibility to make budget, class-size, and staffing decisions.
What is a School of Hope?
A charter school operated by a hope operator which serves students from one or more persistently low-performing schools; is located in the attendance zone of a persistently low-performing school or within a 5-mile radius of such school, whichever is greater; and is a Title I eligible school.
Click here to learn more about Schools of Hope.
What is a high-performing charter school?
According to state statute (1002.332, F.S.), a high-performing charter school has met the following criteria:
- Earned at least two school grades of “A” and no school grade below “B” for the last 3 consecutive years
- Received unqualified opinion of their annual audits in the most recent three years
- Recent audits did not reveal financial emergency conditions set forth in s. 218.503, F.S.
What is a high-performing charter school system?
A high-performing charter school system is a municipality, other public entity, private non-profit corporation with tax-exempt status under s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or a private for-profit education management corporation that meets each of the following criteria:
- Operates at least three high-performing charter schools in the state;
- Operates a system of charter schools in which at least 50% of the charter schools are high-performing, with no schools that received a grade of “D” or “F;” and
- Has financial audits clear of financial emergency conditions as outlined in s. 218.503, F.S. for any charter school within their system.
What are the benefits offered to a high-performing charter school?
A high-performing charter school may:
- Increase its student enrollment once per school year by up to 15% more than the capacity identified in the charter contract.
- Expand grade levels within K-12 to add grade levels not already served.
- Submit quarterly rather than monthly financial statements to its authorizer;
- Consolidate multiple high-performing charter schools under a single umbrella operated in the same district by the charter school’s governing board;
- Receive a modification of its charter to a term of 15 years;
- Replicate its educational program in any district in the state.
What is the demographic breakdown of charter school students?
Charter schools in Florida are very diverse and reflect the state’s population. In 2023-24, 63% of charter school students identified as Black or Hispanic.
How Are Public Charter Schools Funded?
Like district-run public schools, charter schools are funded based on enrollment and receive per-student funding from the state.
Charter schools may also qualify for capital outlay funding from the state and federal start-up grant dollars to secure a facility and begin operations.
Charter schools can use voter-approved local tax referendums from 2023-2024 for campus hardening or security expenses and teacher compensation. Approved expenditures vary by county. In 2018, voters in several counties approved tax referendums in support of public education initiatives.
In 2021, two courts in Florida ruled that school districts are required to share tax revenue generated by voter-approved referendums with charter schools. This includes funds collected from the inception of the tax. The Florida legislature passed a measure in 2019 that said charter schools should get a proportionate amount of such property-tax dollars for operational needs.
What is the criteria for receiving Capital Outlay funding?
Criteria for receiving capital outlay are outlined in state statute. Some examples of eligibility are: Have been in operation for 2 or more years; be governed by a governing board established in the state for 2 or more years which operates both charter schools and conversion charter schools within the state, have an annual audit that does not reveal any of the financial emergency conditions.
Click here for a complete list of eligibility criteria.
Do charter schools serve students with disabilities?
Yes. Charter schools must comply with statutes regarding students with disabilities in public schools.
Per Florida Statute, Section 1002.33 Subsection (10) – Eligible students (f): Students with disabilities and students served in English for Speakers of Other Languages programs shall have an equal opportunity of being selected for enrollment in a charter school;
Per Section 1002.33 Subsection (20), a charter school’s authorizer/the school district “shall provide certain administration and educational services to charter schools… including exceptional student education administration services.”
Do charter schools follow student enrollment and lottery procedures?
Yes. Florida law requires charter schools to admit students via a random selection process or lottery when the number of applications exceeds capacity.
Enrollment is open on a first-come, first serve basis until the number of applications exceeds the capacity of the program, class, grade level, or building. Once capacity has been reached, students wishing to enroll will be subject to a lottery selection per Florida Statutes.
Can charter schools limit enrollment to students who meet specific criteria?
According to Florida law, “controlled open enrollment” means a public education delivery system that allows school districts to make student school assignments using parents’ indicated preferential educational choice as a significant factor. A charter school may limit the enrollment process only to target the following student populations:
- students within specific age groups or grade levels;
- students considered at risk of dropping out of school or academic failure (such students include exceptional education students);
- students enrolling in a charter school-in-the-workplace or charter school-in-a-municipality;
- students residing within a reasonable distance of the charter school;
- students who meet reasonable academic, artistic, or other eligibility standards established by the charter school and included in the charter school application and charter or, in the case of existing charter schools, standards that are consistent with the school’s mission and purpose;
- students articulating from one charter school to another under an articulation agreement between the charter schools and its authorizer.
How does the enrollment process at a conversion charter school work?
Florida law states that conversion charter schools must give enrollment preference to students who would have otherwise attended that district-run school. Charter schools must give first preference for admission to dependent children of active-duty military personnel. It does not require them to provide enrollment preferences for prior-year students within chartered schools.
What is controlled open enrollment?
Beginning in 2017-18, Florida law requires each school district and charter school to adopt a controlled open enrollment plan that allows a student to enroll in any public school in the state that has not reached capacity. This allows students to attend any district-run or public charter school regardless of zip code.
Who can help a parent who has an issue with their charter school?
Every charter school’s governing board must appoint a parent liaison who is responsible for assisting parents and others with questions and concerns and resolving disputes. The liaison may be a governing board member, employee, or individual contracted to represent the charter school governing board. That person should be posted prominently on the charter school’s website.